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September 10, 2009 in Region
Judge blocks release of petitions for R-71
OLYMPIA — A federal judge in Tacoma is shielding the identities of people who signed petitions to force a statewide vote on expanded benefits for gay couples.
U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle granted a preliminary injunction Thursday afternoon, blocking the state from releasing the petitions to the public.
Referendum 71 will ask voters in November to approve or reject the “everything but marriage” domestic partnership law that state lawmakers passed earlier this year.
The referendum’s sponsors turned in nearly 138,000 petition signatures to qualify for the ballot.
The petitions are considered public records under state law. But R-71’s sponsors say the petition-signers could be harassed, amounting to an infringement on their free speech rights.
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ChefGus/ John Olsen on September 10 at 8:41 p.m.
Blocking access to my right to Public Records as defined by clear case law seems/feels to me to be a higher form of restriction of free speech… it precludes me from knowing who my neighbors and friends are that signed the petition so i might have conversations with them about my feelings…. come on out of the closet… hiding under a hood is what kept the Klu Klux Clan “safe” …. the courage of your convictions is not evident.. john
Rifleman_Dodd on September 11 at 5:35 a.m.
The word “could” is a dubious excuse for squelching their free speech and their right to sign a petition.
Sanders and Johnson were correct in that signing a petition/referencum is making government which should be performed in the light of day. The alternative is a secret government of which we are just coming out of after the Bush 2.0 hegomy.
It seems to me that if you want to sign something that takes away other peoples rights, you should be willing to stand up for what you believe and have it provided to rest the community. Unlike the hooded KKK.
This is a chilling decision which allows for anonimity in the creation of law. I’d like to see debate where as a signature on a petition/referendum is free speech vs. the right to take away other peoples rights to a free and open government. Strange how their FREE SPEECH isnt being made free to rest the people. Perhaps we should require any and all participants in the City Council forum to wear hoods albeit Shogun would still harass them regardless of their identity.