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Washington state can release the names and addresses of people who signed the petion for Referendum 71, a ballot measure that attempts to peel back the latest changes to the state’s domestic partnership laws, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said today.
A 9th Circuit panel this morning revesed a trial court ruling that releasing the names could chill the First Amendment rights of petition signmers. But the names aren’t going to be released right now, because a separate court ruling in Thurston County has a temporary restraining order blocking that.
To read the Associated Press’s latest version, go inside the blog. We’ll try to keep it updated regularly.
By GENE JOHNSON
Associated Press Writer
SEATTLE (AP) —
A panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a
previous decision by U.S. District Judge Ben Settle in
Settle held that releasing the names could chill the First Amendment rights of petition signers.
Stephen Pidgeon, an attorney for the petition sponsors, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
Despite the appeals court ruling, the names weren’t immediately released.
Janelle Guthrie, a spokeswoman for Attorney General Rob McKenna,
said her office must now ask a
“These petitions are not like a secret ballot, but amount to taking part in our legislative process, which is required to be open and accountable,” Secretary of State Sam Reed said.
Referendum 71 asks voters to approve or reject the so-called “everything but marriage” law, which grants registered domestic partners the same legal rights as married heterosexuals.
Conservative Christian groups that sponsored R-71 want to keep the signed petitions out of public view because they fear harassment from gay-rights supporters.
In its brief order, the three-judge appeals panel said Settle used the wrong legal standard in granting the preliminary injunction that barred release of the petitions, and that the injunction therefore must be reversed.
The judges said they would later issue an opinion explaining their reasoning.
Jim Camden is a veteran political reporter for The Spokesman-Review.
Jonathan Brunt covers Spokane City Hall for The Spokesman-Review.
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ChefGus/ John Olsen on October 15 at 4:21 p.m.
It is fine to be a bigot… freedom of speech and all that….. but also legal for us to know you are if you sign a state wide referendum
I fail to understand how my daughter Britta..being married to her wife Jacqui has ANY affect on any one else … in a heterosexual marriage…. Her life is much more stable and happy now than I have ever seen her. see the photo on their wedding day in my profile. john
Rifleman__Dodd on October 15 at 10:16 p.m.
John, isn’t time to get a new photo? You seem to often wear your daughter on your sleeve as a badge of courage for the homosexual community. If she was african american, would you hold that up as well? I wonder if you always embraced her “difference”.
She is taller than me, and could probably whoop my backside.
CalJones on October 15 at 10:58 p.m.
Release the names, I don’t care if someone decides to try and kill me for signing a referendum (as happened in California). If I sign anything, I do so proudly and publicly so let’s bring it on!
ChefGus/ John Olsen on October 16 at 5:59 a.m.
Rifleman… yes she is a “badge of honor” and an In Your Face for those who might do well to be reminded , as the current commercials that are Pro 71 that bigotry exists in our world…
Yeah, she is taller than you and me… but she would not harm a fly… and would hug you on first sight if you were willing… She is in my view my most important measure of my life.. and she has been “out” since she was 14… with full support from her mother and me…
Most people seem to like me when they meet me in person, and whether they agree or disagree with me on issues generally treat me fairly… and with some measure of credibility …. part of that is “profiling”.. I am a white male with a college degree, relatively wealthy with a long successful career… partly given to me just because I am a white male, and first born.
I choose to “use” that place in society as I do… serving the homeless/low income/ mentally ill, persons of color, glbt etc etc as an ally and advocate… My first wife was Asian, and so i undertstand racism… a little better than most white people.. and now as i get older i am understanding ageism etc…
So that is the “why” of the continued photo… and i’ve not noticed a “changing photo montage” from many on the blogs… thanks for asking…
if more people were “OUT” with regards the glbta/mentally ill/ disabled people in our personal lives there would be more uproar over things like the death of OTTO which i know is close to your heart… :)) and “Rifleman”/ MOS 300 is also a proud badge of honor and i’m glad you wear it well…. j
Dazzeetrader11 on October 16 at 11:31 a.m.
I say forget who signed. It’s a red herring and a nonsensical distraction.. Let’s not have a threat of violence to persons or property. 71 will rise or fall on it’s merits and who is motived to vote yea or nay in quantity sufficient to obtain a victory. It’s quite simple.
The loser/winners should abide by what the voters say. They should but, as in California, they don’t. As for who has a gay daughter and how he feels about that….good luck. It’s irrelevant in this blog. Who received what because of being white and first born is also likely to be a red herring and irrelevant as well. I dont suppose you had good grades and did well on the MCATs too Gus. Performance usually wins out.
SO it’ll be interesting as to who does well on 71. Outing a voter has what as a possible outcome? Anything fruitful come of it? I don’t see to clarify anything. I can see where some misery might arise by not keeping signers confidential except to be sure the signers actually exist……but that’s done by the Elections groups.