Update on Concealing Ref 71 Signatures
September 11, 2009 by James Hipps
As reported earlier:
U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle, a federal judge in Tacoma, Washington, granted a preliminary injunction today which prevents the state from releasing to public the names of who signed a petition to put Referendum 71 on the ballot this November.
Referendum 71 is a measure aimed at repealing Washington’s “everything but marriage” domestic partnership law by popular vote. The domestic partner law that provides many benefits that married couples receive, was passed earlier this year by the state’s legislature.
Slightly over 120,000 signatures were needed, and the sponsors of Ref 71 collectively turned in over 137,000 signatures, insuring it’s spot on the ballot.
Under state law, the petitions are public records, but R-71’s sponsors claim the petition-signers could be harassed, which would be an infraction upon their right to freedom of speech.
Regardless, according to law, the names must be public record. I am inclined to believe this judge is a religious right ‘activist judge’.
This just in:
The attorney general’s office in the state of Washington has announced they are appealing the federal judge’s decision to withhold the names of people who signed petitions for Ref. 71.
Janelle Guthrie, a spokeswoman for Attorney General Rob McKenna stated McKenna will ask the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to review the decision on a fast track, and while doing so, he has asked the appeals court to lift the injunction that blocked the release of the names of those who signed the petition.
Check back for the latest updates as they come in!
Seems the far right has the judiciary in their pockets.
Someone’s being held in someone’s pocketbook!
Has the Washington State AG gotten the letter from Fred Karger, founder of the West Coast group, Californians Against Hate warning him of NOM’s money laundering scheme in cahoots with the Church of Latter Day Saints and the Catholic Diocese?
I don’t know, but I just got this from Karger:
SACRAMENTO In its continuing efforts to protect the identity of those who bankrolled the campaign to pass Proposition 8, lawyers for The National Organization for Marriage have issued a subpoena for one of the leaders behind the opposition, Californians Against Hate founder Fred Karger, who led boycotts and created websites outing top contributors.
The subpoena compels Karger to produce the group’s financial records and all communications and documentation regarding affiliated websites and the dissemination of donor information. It also directs him to appear for a deposition on October 13th.
“This is harassment and they are trying to silence me,” said Karger, who points out that he’s not a party to the case. “I’m a citizen activist, and my organization is just me, funded entirely by myself versus the power of a group who has millions and millions of dollars behind it.”
I hope Fred gets pro-bono from Lambda Legal to assist him in fighting the LDS.