Doug DeVos, president of Amway, has defended a hefty donation to a group which opposes gay marriage.

At a press conference in Las Vegas last week, former GOP presidential candidate Fred Karger announced a boycott against the Orlando Magic and Amway over a donation given by its president in support of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), the nation's most vociferous opponent of gay marriage.

DeVos gave $500,000 to the National Organization for Marriage Education Fund through his Douglas & Maria DeVos Foundation in 2009.

It is the “largest family donation to NOM in its history,” Karger said.

In a statement, Amway notes that the owners “believe the highest calling of any individual is to express their own personal beliefs as a participant in the democratic process.”

“As private citizens, the DeVos family supports causes and organizations that advocate for policies aligned to their personal beliefs,” said an Amway spokeswoman.

She emphasized that Amway “supports policies that create favorable conditions for global businesses” and that the “Amway opportunity is open to everyone.”

The boycott comes amid similar calls against Chick-Fil-A, whose CEO, Dan Cathy, recently conceded that the company financially supports groups which oppose gay marriage.

After buttoning up his campaign for the GOP nomination for president in June, Karger returned to gay activism, renaming advocacy group Californians Against Hate to Rights Equal Rights. The Amway/Orlando Magic boycott is the group's first since relaunching.