Prop 8 supporters sue to keep donor names anonymous

[TeamJordan23]

Calif. gay marriage foes want donors anonymous
By STEVE LAWRENCE, Associated Press Writer Steve Lawrence, Associated Press Writer

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Supporters of the ballot measure that banned gay marriage in California have filed a lawsuit seeking to block their campaign finance records from public view, saying the reports have led to the harassment of donors.

"No one should have to worry about getting a death threat because of the way he or she votes," said James Bopp Jr., an attorney representing two groups that supported Proposition 8, Protect Marriage.com and the National Organization for Marriage California. "This lawsuit will protect the right of all people to help support causes they agree with, without having to worry about harassment or threats."

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in federal court in Sacramento, asks the court to order the secretary of state's office to remove all donations for the proposition from its Web site.

It also asks the court to relieve the two groups and "all similarly situated persons" from having to meet the state's campaign disclosure requirements. That would include having to file a final report on Proposition 8 contributions at the end of January, as well as reports for any future campaigns the groups undertake.

Proposition 8, approved by 52.3 percent of California voters on Nov. 4, reversed a state Supreme Court decision allowing gay marriage. The measure's opponents have asked the Supreme Court to overturn it.

The lawsuit filed Wednesday cites a series of incidents in which those who gave money to support Proposition 8 received threatening phone calls, e-mails and postcards. One woman claims she was told: "If I had a gun, I would have gunned you down along with each and every other supporter."

Another donor reported a broken window, one said a flier calling him a bigot was distributed around his hometown and others received envelopes containing suspicious white power, according to the lawsuit.

Businesses employing people who contributed to the Proposition 8 campaign have been threatened with boycotts, the suit said.

Supporters of the gay marriage ban fear the donor backlash will hurt their efforts to raise money in the future, perhaps to fight an initiative seeking to overturn the ban.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090109/ap_on_re_us/gay_marriage_fundraising

[glitch]

1. Destroying civility has a way of backwashing.

Sounds like they are not too happy about the reality they created. \

[galaxy21]

2. I have no problem with donations being made public as long as everyone acts in a reasonable manner

Boycotts are reasonable, death threats however, are not.

[Lyric]

7. Death threats are against the law. If someone is making them, arrest him/her.

But don't subvert the democratic process for the sake of a scant handful of lawbreakers.

[Hieronymus]

3. Cinemark, owner of Century Theaters, was a big contributor in support

of Proposition 8. I have one friend who refuses to visit their theaters... surely there are others.

[RaleighNCDUer]

4. No one should have to worry about getting a death threat because of the way he or she votes

...only because of the way he or she loves.

[Sebastian Doyle]

5. Fucking chickenshits

I thought they were proud of their bigotry? What irony that they want to keep it "in the closet".

[Lyric]

6. Oh my fucking god.

Supporters of the gay marriage ban fear the donor backlash will hurt their efforts to raise money in the future, perhaps to fight an initiative seeking to overturn the ban.

Really? Ya THINK? Jesus, these people are stupid.

Mr. Judge, PLEASE don't let the gays find out who donated so they can boycott! Those people might not give us money anymore! OH NOES!!111

Fucking hilarious. And they don't have a chance in hell of winning, either. Let them eat the fucking cake that they baked.

:eyes:

[countingbluecars]

8. Surely they have some

white sheets to hide under.

[SidneyCarton]

9. You pay your money, and you take your chances.

The death threats are inexcusable, and should be investigated, as for the rest...

If they couldn't foresee this happening, then they weren't paying attention. Anytime a person places themselves in the public arena they face the possibility of backlash, it sucks, but those are the breaks.

[trashcanistanista]

10. I don't beleve there were ever death threats, broken

windows or white powder sent in envelopes. It is bullshit. They are not above lying to further their cause. They are made to be paranoid by the crap the church leaders spew at them. It serves the purpose of ensuring they tithe regularly. There will never be a shortage of money, in fact, these tactics will probably generate even more money to pay for these law suits. It is one great big scam.

[Ioo]

11. REAL ISSUE: Want to protect FUTURE FUNDING OF HATE!

The real issue is they feel the backlash is going to discourage future fund raising of hate props... this is so hypocritical

[DevonRex]

12. I'd like to know every single one of them so I can be sure to NEVER

give any of them or their businesses even a penny. I have no sympathy for them whatsoever. They wanted to take basic civil rights away from Americans.

[Starry Messenger]

16. Hi JenniferZ!

See my post below: #15. DU-er Newsjock posted a handy widget in General Discussion that is Google Maps crossed with the donation database! :hi: :D I put in a link down there.

[polichick]

13. They're afraid of the people they're trying to keep down? How familiar.

[TexasObserver]

14. What a bunch of horseshit that is!

They want to be able to spread their hate with no public identification or repercussions.

If someone is really attacking and harrassing them, they have the remedies at law. Do any of these cowards care about the decades of abuse their friends and relatives have visited upon gays who are guilty of being gay in public?

This points out the cowardice of the right. They love to talk shit, but can't handle it when others talk shit back at them.

[Starry Messenger]

15. DU-er Newsjock just happened to post a handy widget over in GD.

http://www.eightmaps.com/ an interactive map showing the exact locations of these checkbook warriors. :sarcasm:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x4798767 (thread)

[DevonRex]

19. Thank you very much. They need to learn that there are consequences

for their actions. And if all we can do is make sure they don't get any of our money, then by God, that is certainly what I will do. And they should be really grateful that nobody is trying to take THEIR rights away, although that would be perfect payback. Seems to me that the churches should be paying taxes now, too.

Ya know, I get so sick of them whining when they've never known what it's like to actually be considered a second class citizen, much less suffered the horrible things we all know have happened to gay people in this country. Sorry. Off my soapbox.

:hi: MPK!!

[Starry Messenger]

20. Exactly what you said!

Perfectly stated. :hug:

I'm taking a hard look all around the dots in my state right now. Evidently there is something scary in the water outside Sacramento...the donor points light it up like a Christmas tree. :scared:

[PBS Poll-435]

17. ButButButButButButBut ButButButButButButButBut

I thought that campaign donations were "free speech!" :shrug:

That is the line that I heard from DeLay back in the day.

What a world.

[ddeclue]

18. This remedy is overreaching.. arrest people who make death threats.

Such a claim could be made by anyone wishing to remain anonymous and would utterly destroy the notion of campaign finance accountability.

And there is a slippery slope in their claim: boycotts.

Boycotts are a legitimate form of political speech. Where would voting rights be today without the bus boycott?

:eyes:

[AZBlue]

21. Sorry, if you don't want your name public, don't donate.

[dsc]

22. Why should they be immune from consequences

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4inyujYvJoE&feature=related