NOM Loses Again In Maine (to keep names secret)

[WillParkinson]

NOM Loses Again In Maine

NOM has lost yet another court battle to cloak the names of their donors in Maine.

Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage, said Thursday his group is disappointed in the ruling, but feels its arguments will hold sway with an appeals court. NOM will pursue an expedited appeal to the U.S. First Circuit Court in Boston, he said, because of the short time before the upcoming election season. Though Thursday's decision will delay NOM's plans for political activity in Maine, Brown said, the group is reviewing the decision to gauge a potential timeline for action. NOM plans activity in Maine both on behalf of candidates that support "redefining marriage," said Brown, and on candidates that support traditional marriage.

He declined to say whether NOM would be active in the state's governor's race, as well as the legislative races. Brown also expressed frustration at the legal hurdles spurred by what he called "frivolous" lawsuits filed by their political opponents, one of which, Californians Against Hate, asked the Maine ethics commission to investigate NOM. That group, one of the primary advocates for preserving California's gay marriage law that was repealed by voters there in 2009, questioned whether NOM raised more than $5,000 to directly repeal Maine's same-sex marriage law.

It's not a complete win for the good guys, however, as the judge also ruled some parts of Maine's campaign finance disclosure laws to be "unconstitutionally vague" and struck down the requirement that donations over $250 be reported within 24 hours.

http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2010/08/nom-loses-again-in-maine.html

[Not Me]

1. CNN did a poll recently

that noted for the first time in history, a majority of respondents in the US were in favor of Marriage Equality. A few days later, another firm (Right leaning) came out with another survey that showed 33% in favor. The difference? The CNN polling used live human polling agents; the other used an online survey.

The point is the same with the donor anonymity issue. When people can keep their bigotry and prejudice anonymous, they are more hateful. Kind of like the KKK hiding in cotton robes.

That is why it is so important to keep in front of these cases, and expose people for their actions.

[LiberalFighter]

3. If being against marriage equality is such a good thing then they shouldn't have a problem letting

others know where they stand.

The voters should also know who the hell is supporting different issues and whether they live in the district/state. And if most of the money is coming from outside the district or state then that should make the voters mad that outsiders are trying to dictate their behavior.

[LiberalFighter]

2. I had to read more detail.

Yes, I would have to agree with the ruling on striking down the 24 hour requirement only because it is required from day one. If they had the requirement 30 days or so before an election then it probably would had stand. They probably should have a requirement of reporting larger contributions on a regular basis.

If I understand NOM's complaint, they are trying to claim that they didn't collect over $5,000 from contributors and therefore are not required to report the contributions????? How does the agency determine if they are not required if they don't investigate? I sure as hell wouldn't trust any organization that is operated by scums.

[Sapphocrat]

4. This part is rich:

"Brown also expressed frustration at the legal hurdles spurred by what he called 'frivolous' lawsuits filed by their political opponents, one of which, Californians Against Hate, asked the Maine ethics commission to investigate NOM."

Miss Brown conveniently forgot to mention NOM's lawsuit against Fred (who is Californians Against Hate), demanding he turn over all records of his sources. IMNSHO, they know there's no point to it; IMNSHO, they're trying to bankrupt Fred; IMNSHO, this most frivolous lawsuit is simple revenge -- and an attempt to scare off anyone else from challenging them.

This is just like the other day, when Miss Brown whinged (at Rick Jacobs) about those horrible homos taking video of the children of the gay-bashers on the NOM hate tour -- when it was the Prop H8 campaign that lifted, without permission, news video of schoolchildren attending a wedding for use in an anti-gay Prop H8 commercial -- even after the parents of those children demanded the haters stop.

"Harriet Hypocrite, that's what you are."