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ME: Ethics Panel to Determine if NOM Violated Campaign Finance Laws

Sunday, February 21st, 2010

More than three months after Mainers voted down same-sex marriage, the organization that provided much of the money to the traditional marriage camp is still fighting to block the state from forcing disclosure of their donor lists. This past week, the National Organization for Marriage lost another skirmish in the larger legal battle over its campaign finances.

U.S. District Court Judge D. Brock Hornby in Portland overruled NOM’s objections to having to turn over donor lists and correspondence between NOM and Stand for Marriage Maine regarding the campaign to repeal Maine’s gay marriage law. The court has yet to rule on the larger case challenging Maine’s campaign reporting laws, however.

The documents being sought — and what they say about who donated to NOM and why — are key to a Maine Ethics Commission investigation into whether the group’s failure to disclose donors violated state campaign finance laws.

Full Story from istocknews
Click here for gay marriage resources in Maine.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

Posted in disclosure, donors, ethics panel, Gay Marriage, maine, marriage equality, national organization for marriage, nom, same sex marriage | No Responses »

US: Referendum 71 Signature Case Decision Due by Mid January

Wednesday, December 30th, 2009

John Doe vs. Sam Reed could well determine once and for all whether Washington’s Public Records Act, which seeks transparency of all government records, violates the First Amendment rights of voters who sign ballot petitions. The high court will decide at a Jan. 15 meeting whether to accept or reject the case and then announce later that day — or the following Monday, Jan. 18 — if it will hear arguments.

If justices take the case, attorneys representing the state and Protect Marriage Washington, which brought the original lawsuit, will likely argue before the court in April, with a decision likely by the end of June.

If the Supreme Court decides not to hear it, a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision allowing release of the names will take effect, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.

Full Story from the Seattle Times: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010627697_supremecourt30m.html

Click here for gay marriage resources in Washington State.

To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

Posted in disclosure, domestic partnership, Gay Marriage, privacy, public records, signatures, supreme court, wa, washington state | No Responses »

9th Circuit Likely to Overturn Prop 8 Campaign Document Disclosure Order

Saturday, December 5th, 2009

Looks like Northern District of California Chief Judge Vaughn Walker is going to suffer his first reversal in the federal challenge to Proposition 8. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals continued a stay of Walker’s order forcing the Yes on 8 campaign to turn over internal documents and e-mails to challengers of the measure. In its order, the court said the campaign had made a “strong showing” that it would succeed on the merits of the discovery issue.

Ninth Circuit Judges Kim Wardlaw, Raymond Fisher and Marsha Berzon — all Clinton appointees — also indicated that they would make a formal ruling “promptly.”

In arguing that Prop 8 violates federal due process and equal protection provisions, plaintiffs sought the campaign documents to help prove a discriminatory intent behind the anti-gay marriage effort. The Yes on 8 camp countered that such disclosures would abrogate the campaign’s First Amendment rights.

Full Story from Law.com: http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202436079485&Gay_Marriage_Foes_Win_Some_Satisfaction_From_th_Circuit

Click here for gay marriage resources.

Posted in 9th circuit court of appeals, campaign documents, disclosure, federal lawsuit, Gay Marriage, prop 8, proposition 8 | No Responses »

CA: Hearing Held Tuesday on Prop 8 Disclosure Order

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

Lawyers for two gay couples told a federal appeals court Tuesday that they need access to internal communications from last year’s Proposition 8 campaign to show that the measure banning same-sex marriage was designed to sow “discriminatory animus” toward gays and lesbians.

Supporters of the measure that ended a five-month period when gay marriage was legal in California argued before the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals that their 1st Amendment rights would be infringed and future political discussions “chilled” if they were forced to reveal the thousands of e-mails sent out to campaign associates.

The battle over access to the sponsors’ internal strategy is part of a broader national debate over what is private and what is public in the world of politics, especially on hot-button issues such as gay rights and abortion.

Full Story from the LA Times: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-gaymarriage2-2009dec02,0,5945451.story

Click here for gay marriage resources in California.

Posted in campaign documents, disclosure, hearing, internal records, prop 8, proposition 8, US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals | No Responses »