On August 11, U.S. District Court Judge Benjamin Settle ruled that the names and addresses of people who signed the 2009 petition concerning the Washington state civil unions law should remain private, pending the next phase of the lawsuit. Doe v Reed, C09-5456.
On June 24, 2010, in this same case, the U.S. Supreme Court had ruled that names and addresses of people who sign ballot measure petitions do not automatically receive privacy protection. Instead, the Court said each petition secrecy controversy should be decided on its own merits. If a court finds a likelihood that signers would be harassed, the names and addresses should not be released; otherwise they should be.
The August 11 order simply says that the names and addresses will remain private while the U.S. District Court holds a trial on whether harassment is likely or not. See this story.
Here in NY, when we petition for third party candidates, the other parties can challenge us and drag our signers into court. That is a trick sometimes done. The major party bosses figure: A. It costs the candidate money to seek, find, and get affidavits from the signers AND B. Many folks will be scared to be dragged into court or the process of proof.
So, it stinks. We have to expose our signers to harassment just to get on the ballot of County Legislator or Town Council. Yet, these people get to collect signatures to suppress the rights of others. And, they get to hide their signers behind a secret wall.
Seems unfair.
Benjamin Settle will rule to keep the signers’ names and addresses private no matter what happens at the trial. He has already made up his mind. Gay people need to be disadvantaged at all costs according to Settle and every other heterosexual. Heterosexuals can forge names on petitions so they can take away gay people’s rights with no consequences. Heterosexals always have treated gay people unequally. Haterosexual means unequal.
What is the magic math for MORON judges to detect a problem — especially the super-MORON party hack SCOTUS folks ???
ONE death threat or merely ONE dead body — from signing a *politically IN-correct* petition ???
Thus – one more BASIC constitutional amendment ???
— Each person shall have a right to sign any type of petition in secret.
— akin to the many right to secret vote sections in many/all State constitutions — due to the EVIL bad old days of party hacks watching who voted in public for what — with EVIL results — threats, assaults, etc.