Protect Marriage Washington lost last month before the Supreme Courtâwhich ruled that, in general, petition signatures are public recordsâso now they're back to a lower court to argue that the anti-gay signers of R-71, in specific, should have special privileged to anonymity.
Writes David Ammons at the Secretary of State's office:
Protect Marriage Washington, the group that forced a public vote last fall, via Referendum 71, on the newly enacted âeverything but marriageâ domestic partnership law, is asking the U.S. District Court in Tacoma to continue blocking release of the names and addresses of people who signed R-71 petitions. [...]Monday was the day Settleâs original order expired, since it was the day the Supreme Court decision took effect. Although there is no federal court injunction at the moment, the state is barred by a ban obtained by initiative activist Tim Eyman in his broad challenge in Thurston County Superior Court. That case is still pending, and most observers expect Judge Richard Hicks to lift the injunction.
Onward Christian extremists!