The Olympian Logo

Court to say if petition signers' names go public | The Olympian

×
  • E-edition
  • Home
    • Customer Service
    • About Us
    • Buy Photos and Pages
    • Contact Us
    • Plus
    • Mobile & Apps
    • Newsletters
    • Newspaper in Education
    • Subscribe
    • Subscriber Services
    • Archives

    • News
    • Business
    • Crime
    • Databases
    • Death Notices
    • Education
    • Local News
    • Military News
    • Obituaries
    • Politics & Government
    • State
    • Traffic
    • Watchdog
    • Weather
    • Opinion
    • Cartoons
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Opinion Columns
    • Submit a Letter
    • Sports
    • College
    • High School
    • Mariners
    • Preps Stats
    • Seahawks
    • Sounders
    • UW Huskies
    • Politics
    • Living
    • Announcements
    • Food
    • Health & Fitness
    • Home & Garden
    • Travel
    • Entertainment
    • Arts & Culture
    • Comics
    • Puzzles & Games
    • Events Calendar
    • Horoscopes
    • Movies
    • Restaurants
    • Outdoors
    • Fishing

  • Classifieds
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Cars
  • Homes
  • Place An Ad
  • Mobile & Apps

Politics & Government

Court to say if petition signers' names go public

JESSE J. HOLLAND; The Associated Press

    ORDER REPRINT →

January 16, 2010 12:00 AM

WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court on Friday got involved for the second time this week in a case in which opponents of gay and lesbian rights fear they will be harassed if their views are made public.

The high court will consider whether Washington state officials can release more than 138,500 names on a petition seeking a vote on overturning the state’s domestic partnership rights.

Protect Marriage Washington, which unsuccessfully opposed the law giving same-sex couples expanded rights, wants to shield from disclosure the signers of the petition for a referendum on that law. The group says it fears harassment by gay rights supporters.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco has said before the Nov. 3 vote that the names could be made public, but the Supreme Court blocked their release until it decided whether to hear the case.

SIGN UP

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to The Olympian

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

Arguments will be heard later this year.

Justices earlier this week intervened in another case where gay rights opponents complained about potential harassment.

The court’s conservative majority decided to block the televising of a trial on California’s ban of same-sex marriage. The trial in federal court in San Francisco concerns Proposition 8, the voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage in the state. Lawyers representing opponents of gay marriage argued that broadcasts would expose their trial witnesses to retaliation from same-sex marriage supporters.

In Washington state, Referendum 71 asked voters to approve or reject the “everything but marriage” law, which grants registered domestic partners the same legal rights as married couples.

Voters ratified the law, but the conservative Christian groups that sponsored it want to keep the signed petitions that asked for the referendum out of public view because they fear harassment from gay rights supporters, some of whom have vowed to post the names of petition signers on the Internet.

“We are pleased that the Supreme Court has agreed to hear this case that seeks to protect the rights of citizens who support a traditional definition of marriage to speak freely and without fear,” said James Bopp Jr., lawyer for Protect Marriage Washington. “No citizen should ever worry that they will be threatened or injured because they have exercised their right to engage in the political process.”

U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle in Tacoma blocked the release of the petitions, saying that releasing the names could chill the First Amendment rights of petition signers. The San Francisco-based appeals court reversed that ruling, but the Supreme Court blocked the names’ release.

Washington state officials say the petitions are covered by their public record laws.

  Comments  

Videos

Trump announces national emergency to get border wall funding

Sen. McConnell says Trump will sign spending bill and declare a national emergency

View More Video

Trending Stories

Tim Eyman investigated for theft after Office Depot incident, Lacey police say

February 15, 2019 03:45 PM

Despite residents’ pleas, Lacey policy is to clear only main roads during snowstorms

February 15, 2019 07:00 AM

Thurston Co. students are finally heading back to school. What took so long?

February 15, 2019 08:11 AM

Bill would prohibit authorities from ticketing homeless people for sleeping on sidewalks

February 14, 2019 10:33 AM

The new year is off to a good start for prospective Thurston County home buyers

February 14, 2019 07:00 AM
Local display advertising by PaperG

Read Next

The Latest: Nigerian president ‘disappointed’ by poll delay

Nation & World

The Latest: Nigerian president ‘disappointed’ by poll delay

The Associated Press

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 16, 2019 04:19 AM

Nigeria's president says he is "deeply disappointed" by the last-minute delay of Saturday's election until Feb. 23 and says he is going back to the capital to hear the electoral commission's explanation.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to The Olympian

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE POLITICS & GOVERNMENT

Nigeria delays its election; candidates rush back to capital

Nation & World

Nigeria delays its election; candidates rush back to capital

February 16, 2019 04:13 AM
The Latest: China not interested in joining missile treaty

Business

The Latest: China not interested in joining missile treaty

February 16, 2019 04:01 AM
Retired Indian general urges caution against Pakistan strike

Nation & World

Retired Indian general urges caution against Pakistan strike

February 16, 2019 04:00 AM
Trump emergency declaration faces fights in the courts

Business

Trump emergency declaration faces fights in the courts

February 16, 2019 03:52 AM
Clashes with police in Albanian opposition rally

Nation & World

Clashes with police in Albanian opposition rally

February 16, 2019 03:46 AM
Merkel defends Iran stance, urges China to join arms talks

Nation & World

Merkel defends Iran stance, urges China to join arms talks

February 16, 2019 03:21 AM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

The Olympian App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Contests-Promotions
  • Vacation Hold
  • Rewards
  • Pay Your Bill
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Photo Store
  • Archives
Advertising
  • Information
  • Place a Classified
  • Local Deals
  • Place an Obituary
  • Today's Circulars
  • Special Sections
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story