Federal Judge Denies Request to Keep Prop 8 Donors Private

Statement by Fred Karger, Founder of Californians Against Hate regarding today’s Federal Court Ruling on Proposition 8 Contributors:

The Court today did the right thing by upholding California’s 35 year old Political Reform Act. The law requires that all contributors of $100 and above to state campaigns be reported and available to the public. Every California campaign has abided by this law for over three decades.

It is truly unfortunate that in the heat of a campaign donors are subjected to any undue attention. This has sadly been the case on both sides of last November’s highly emotional Proposition 8 campaign. But the law passed by the voters in 1974 has served our state well all these years and must remain in place.

The Executive Board of ProtectMarriage.com, who filed this lawsuit, sent a letter to many major donors to No on 8 – Equality California threatening to expose them and take action against their companies unless they gave to the Yes on 8 campaign. Now they complain of harassment?

Gay and lesbian donors fighting several anti gay initiatives in California beginning with the 1978 Briggs Initiative (Prop 6) have contributed to these campaigns in fear of job loss and being outed to their families. No exemption from the law was ever requested.

The Mormon Church and all the other major supporters of Proposition 8 knew the law when they qualified their Constitutional Amendment for the November ballot and must abide by it. The Mormon Church basically required over 60,000 of its members throughout the country to give nearly $25 million to take away the right to marry for same-sex couples in California. After winning their very deceitful campaign by only 4% points, they now hoped to keep the names secret of another 6,600 donors who must be reported on Monday, February 2nd. This is despicable.

The Mormon Church is currently under an active investigation by the California Fair Political Practices Commission – FPPC (Case # 080735) for allegedly not reporting what could amount to be hundreds of thousands of dollars of non monetary contributions to the Yes on 8 campaign. While this investigation is underway, their law suit named FPPC Chairman Ross Johnson and the other four Commissioners as defendants. Also named were California Attorney General Jerry Brown and Secretary of State Debra Bowen.

Well, if the Salt Lake City based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is going to be that involved California elections, they have to play by the rules. What is the Mormon Church trying to hide?

The Mormon Church is not a named plaintiff in the Federal lawsuit, and through its spokeswoman even denied knowledge of its existence, it certainly must be behind it. They have clearly been the focus of the post election unhappiness.

The Mormon Church is in the midst of a self admitted PR offensive to recessitate its wounded image as a result of their heavy handed involvement in the Yes on Prop 8 campaign (see ABC’s Nightline segment from January 9, 2009 http://www.truveo.com/Mormon-Leaders-Russell-Ballard-and-Quentin-Cook-on/id/696616726 ). This lawsuit is clearly an attempt by the Church to demonize its opponents, while having others front for them. They have a long and documented history of this type of activity.

We, like all millions of other Californians, applaud the Court’s decision today, and look forward to reviewing the thousands of additional donors to both sides of the Prop 8 campaign when the report comes out on Monday.
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Yes on Prop 8 Hypocrisy Letter from EQCA

This was in an email to me from EQCA: http://www.eqca.org/

Yesterday, the leadership of Yes on Prop 8 filed a lawsuit in federal court to void a voter-passed proposition that requires the disclosure of information for people who donate more than $100 to a campaign. They claim their donors have been victimized for bankrolling the ban on marriage for LGBT couples.

Their hypocrisy is shocking.

This is the same "leadership" that sent menacing letters to Equality California donors and corporate sponsors, threatening to "expose" them if they did not make a similar donation to the Yes on 8 campaign.

This is the same "leadership" that filed briefs in the California Supreme Court that argue that the voter-passed proposition cannot--and should not--be overturned by a court.

For decades LGBT activists have stood proud, risking their jobs and safety for fighting intolerance. We've never asked for anything less than equality and now they want special rights.

Is there no end to their hypocrisy?

In solidarity,


Geoff Kors
Executive Director
Equality California

P.S. If you have a story about how you stood proud after being victimized for fighting for LGBT rights, share it at stories@eqca.org. It may be published on our website to profile courage in the wake of adversity.

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Equality California is dedicated to achieving equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Californians.

Our work depends on individual financial contributions. Donate now using our secure website or download a donation form to send via fax or mail.

Donations to EQCA support our political work and are therefore not tax-deductible as charitable contributions.

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Free No on Prop and Marriage Equality Graphics on Flickr!

These are all of the pictures I have been collecting for no on Prop 8. Feel free to send me more pictures to include in this set, or if you are the copyright owner and would like something removed, just let me know.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bdollproject/sets/72157611848118487/

Free 90 Minute Documentary: "The Times of Harvey Milk"

The Times Of Harvey Milk
http://www.hulu.com/watch/49577/the-times-of-harvey-milk

Feature Film 1:27:34
Release Date: October 07, 1984

This Oscar-winning documentary film covers the successful career and tragic assassination of San Francisco's first openly gay man elected to office. Harvey Milk was a controversial figure in American politics, who guided campaigns for civil rights. This documentary chronicles Milk's career in politics, as well as the aftermath and trial of his assassin. Must see!

Send an email to Obama to Dump Rev. Rick Warren

From: http://www.dumprickwarren.com/

December 19, 2008
President-elect Barack Obama
Presidential Transition Office
Washington, DC 20270

Dear President-elect Obama:

The gay and lesbian community, our millions of friends and all other fair minded Americans are extremely hurt and angry with your choice of Reverend Rick Warren to give the invocation at your Inauguration next month.

In an interview just 4 days ago, Reverend Warren compared gay marriage to legitimizing incest, child abuse, and polygamy. He said:

"I'm opposed to redefinition of a 5,000 year definition of marriage. I'm opposed to having a brother and sister being together and calling that marriage. I'm opposed to an older guy marrying a child and calling that marriage. I'm opposed to one guy having multiple wives and calling that marriage." –Rick Warren, Pastor of Saddleback Church, December 15, 2008

How can he talk about loving same-sex couples who wish to marry like everyone else in this cruel way? This guy is a bigot plain and simple. He has a long history of saying mean and hateful things to so many Americans with whom he does not agree, that he seems an odd fit into your celebration as you assume the Presidency of the United States.

So today we are asking you to dump Rick Warren from delivering the invocation at your swearing in ceremony.

We will be launching a new web site www.dumprickwarren.com to ask others to join in our effort to help persuade you to choose another man or woman to take this place of honor at your historic Inauguration.

We hope that you will drop Reverend Warren soon, and instead pick one of the thousands of religious leaders who don’t offend the gay and lesbian community and so many other Americans.

You campaigned and were elected to unite this country and your removal of Rick Warren would go a long way toward achieving that goal.

Rick Warren was a major supporter of California’s Proposition 8, the successful ballot initiative to ban gay marriage. Many prominent national gay leaders have called for Reverend Warren to step aside or for you to remove him.

Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese, declared your invitation to Rick Warren a “genuine blow” to gay Americans. “And by inviting Rick Warren to your Inauguration, you have tarnished the view that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans have a place at your table,” he wrote.

Equality California Executive Director, Geoff Kors said yesterday that, “I have decided to decline the invitation to attend the inauguration as I cannot be part of a celebration that highlights and gives voice to someone who advocated repealing rights from me and millions of other Californians.

Mr. President-elect, we know that you are trying to be inclusive at your Inaugural and in your administration and we applaud that. We, however, strongly urge you to do the right thing and reconsider your choice of Rick Warren. If you drop Rick Warren, it will send a loud and clear message to America and the world that you do not tolerate discrimination and hatred from anyone.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely yours,
Fred Karger
Founder
www.CaliforniansAgainstHate.com