Opinion: Not so fast in Doe v. Reed
Posted on Apr 29, 2010 at 01:42 pm
Tom Goldstein writes about oral arguments heard by the Supreme Court yesterday in Doe v. Reed.
Goldstein argues that, while the court will likely rule that ballot initiative petition signers do not have a blanket right to anonymity, the justices might not hand down a definitive decision about the release of the signatures for Referendum 71.
Court skeptical on keeping Washington state petitioner IDs private
Posted on Apr 28, 2010 at 01:25 pm
The Supreme Court seemed skeptical Wednesday of arguments by gay rights opponents that the names on a petition asking for the repeal of Washington state's domestic partnership law should be kept secret.
Several justices questioned whether people who voluntarily signed a petition asking for a public referendum could then expect privacy.
Voters as victims: a right-wing sleight of hand
Posted on Apr 28, 2010 at 06:56 am
The fight for marriage rights for gay couples will reach the United States Supreme Court in April 2010—sort of. The Court will hear arguments challenging Washington state’s Public Records Act, which was broadly approved by a voter initiative in 1972 as part of a campaign to increase transparency and openness in the state’s government and elections. The law, among other things, instructs the state to release names of people who sign petitions to place an issue up for a public vote.
Op-Ed: Referendum 71 signers’ names are a matter of public record and should be disclosed.
Posted on Apr 27, 2010 at 07:00 am
The Olympian editorial staff advocates for the U.S. Supreme Court to rule in favor of the release of the names of those who signed petitions to put Referendum 71 on the ballot in Washington State.
Washington state income tax initiative to include gay couples
Posted on Apr 26, 2010 at 11:47 am
Supporters of an initiative campaign announced last week to tax the earnings of couples making more than $400,000 annually are committed to making sure the state's domestic partners are taxed at the same rate as married couples.
Proposed Washington state income tax would discriminate against domestic partners
Posted on Apr 23, 2010 at 04:10 pm
A proposed high-earners initiative in Washington state would cut the state property tax by 20 percent, end the business-and-occupation tax for small businesses, and start an income tax for couples earning more than $400,000 a year and individuals earning more than $200,000. Unfortunately, the tax would punish many domestic partner couples.
Before freedom to marry, clashes on free speech
Posted on Apr 21, 2010 at 04:14 pm
It will be a couple of years until the freedom to marry reaches the Supreme Court. But two early skirmishes — if not proxy battles — arrived this month. Both are fights over the First Amendment ground rules for the debate.
Legal groups file brief disputing false claims of harassment, defending open government requirements
Posted on Apr 02, 2010 at 03:27 pm
In a friend-of-the-court brief filed with the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday, the nation's leading LGBT legal organizations, Lambda Legal, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), and the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) – together with the Human Rights Campaign and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force – joined the State of Washington and others in defending open government laws requiring public disclosure of the names of voters who sign petitions supporting state ballot initiatives. In particular, this brief refutes the false claims presented to the Supreme Court in this and other cases that individuals who support anti-gay initiatives have been subjected to "systematic intimidation" by the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.
Maine Diocese penalizes Homeless Aid Group for supporting Marriage Equality
Posted on Mar 24, 2010 at 10:43 am
A social service agency's support for the freedom to marry has cost it local and national funding from the Catholic Church's anti-poverty program.
Preble Street's Homeless Voices for Justice program has lost $17,400 this year and will lose $33,000 that it expected for its next fiscal year.
Cynthia Nixon Joins Fight To Oust Anti-Freedom to Marry Senators
Posted on Mar 11, 2010 at 10:22 am
Cynthia Nixon has joined the fight to oust senators who voted against a freedom to marry bill in New York.
The openly lesbian Nixon stars in a new video for Fight Back NY, the political action committee that is targeting anti-gay senators.