A gay New Jersey couple held hands as they stood outside Denver’s federal courthouse Wednesday and talked about the anguish of discovering their engagement picture had been altered and used in attack ads in Colorado.

The couple, Brian Edwards and Thomas Privitere, and their photographer, Kristina Hill, sued the Virginia-based company that produced the mailers.

The suit against Public Advocate of the United States was filed in U.S. District Court in Denver on their behalf by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

“This case is about the defilement of a beautiful moment by a group known for demonizing the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community,” said Christine Sun, deputy legal director of the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Eugene Delgaudio, president of Public Advocate, could not immediately be reached for comment. He has never released the name or names of the Coloradans who hired him to produce the mailers.

The plaintiffs are seeking monetary damages.

The original picture of Edwards and Privitere shows the couple holding hands and kissing with the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan skyline in the background. In the attack mailers sent in two Colorado legislative races, the background was replaced with Colorado images.

Privitere said that the use of the photograph was “completely wrong and vile,” not only against him and his partner but against the gay community as a whole.

Edwards described the couple’s “shock and intense anger” in learning the image, which had been copyrighted, had been used without their permission in such a manner. Edwards said it brought back feelings from his childhood of being bullied, and now he cringes at what was once his favorite picture.

“We are here today for all families,” he said. “Our family is a family, too. It may be different from yours but we should still be completely equal.”

They were joined by Sen. Jean White, R-Hayden, the target of one of the fliers and a supporter of a measure to allow gay couples to form civil unions. The measure passed the Democratic-controlled Senate this year, but died a dramatic death on the House floor without a vote.

The mailer against White features a snowy scene and the words “State Senator Jean White’s idea of ‘family values?’ ” across the couple.

White said the worst part about the mailer was learning that the kissing couple weren’t actors but “Tom and Brian, real people who love each other.

“I value their family and the love that they have,” she said. “Their love has no effect on my relationship with my husband.”

House candidate Jeff Hare, a Weld County Republican, also was targeted although he was running for an open seat and had never voted on the civil unions bill or said he supported the issue.

“Jeffrey Hare’s vision for Weld County?” said the mailer, with the words plastered over the kissing couple.

“The issue of civil unions aside, no one should have their image or likeness used without their consent, especially as a prop for an unethical campaign hit piece,” Hare said. “I wish the plaintiffs all the best.”

White and Hare lost their Republican primary elections, but White said she has no regret about her vote because it was the right thing to do.

The Denver Post published a copy of the White flier in a story about her primary race against state Rep. Randy Baumgardner. Another story, about a registered sex offender living at Baumgardner’s home in Hot Sulpher Springs, went national with some publications including a copy of the White mailer.

That’s when Edwards and Privitere saw their doctored picture. They contacted The Denver Post, and the story about what happened to them went viral.

Their photographer said she mostly takes pictures of weddings and newborns. When Hill is asked for the use of one of her copyrighted shots, she said she asks what it will be used for.

“Never, ever,” Hill said, would she give permission for one of her photographs to be used to attack civil unions.

But she wasn’t asked for her permission in this case, which is part of the lawsuit.

Edwards said support for the couple since the unauthorized use of their engagement photo has been “amazing and overwhelming.”

Lynn Bartels: 303-954-5327, lbartels@denverpost.com or twitter.com/lynn_bartels

“Shock and intense anger” Engagement picture cribbed