Court Prohibits Release of Referendum Petitions
Bopp, Coleson & Bostrom
1 South 6th Street
Terre Haute, IN 47807-3510
PRESS RELEASE
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Contact: James Bopp, Jr.
Phone: 812/232-2434; Fax: 812/235-3685;
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Court Prohibits Release of Referendum Petitions; Will Consider Harassment Exception
Today, a federal judge entered an order preventing Washington from releasing the names and addresses of individuals that signed a referendum petition to repeal Washington’s “everything but marriage” domestic partnership law. Several opposition groups threatened to post the names of the petition signers on the Internet in an effort to encourage uncomfortable conversations with petition signers. Similar efforts around the country have resulted in death threats, property damage, and other harassment directed at supporters of traditional marriage.
Protect Marriage Washington, the sponsor of the petition, obtained a ruling last year preventing Washington from releasing the names and addresses of the petition signers. Earlier this summer, the Supreme Court reversed that decision, and held that disclosure of referendum petitions generally does not violate the U.S. Constitution. However, the Supreme Court sent the case back to Washington to consider whether disclosure of the identities of the petition signers is unconstitutional in light of the widespread harassment directed at supporters of traditional marriage. Today’s ruling will allow the Court to consider Protect Marriage Washington’s case.
