In Brief

Staff Reports

Federal Judge Rules Against Backers Of Prop 8 In Campaign Finance Disclosure Suit

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA -- U.S. District Judge Morrison England Jr. ruled Thursday that the anti-gay ProtectMarriage.com and the National Organization for Marriage organisations- both backers of the Prop 8 ballot measure- had failed to prove the groups should be exempt from California's campaign disclosure laws. In court documents filed, attorney's said that donors were targeted for boycotts, hate mail and threats after their names appeared on the secretary of state's website as part of required campaign finance reports. The two groups filed suit in January of 2009 asking to be removed from the publicly available lists.

The Los Angeles Times reports:

England refused at that time to grant an emergency injunction that would have taken the information down temporarily, saying campaign disclosure laws are designed to protect the public and are especially important during expensive initiative campaigns. The two groups, which between them raised the lion's share of the $43.3 million spent in support of Proposition 8, said their donors were targeted for boycotts, hate mail and threats.

The suit also asked the court to relieve the two groups and "all similarly situated persons" from having to list any donors who gave $100 or more for any future campaigns. England denied that request Thursday as well.

San Francisco Deputy City Attorney Mollie Lee told reporters after the hearing;

"The winners here are really the voters of California," Lee said. "The 1st Amendment interest that the judge upheld in his ruling is the interest in having a robust democracy, an informed electorate and vigorous debate."

The LA Times said that James Bopp Jr., a national campaign finance expert whose law firm represented the groups, did not respond to an email seeking comment.