CALIFORNIA: Court Rules Prop 8 Backers Must Reveal Donor Names

In yet another in a long string of court losses for NOM, a California judge has ruled that the backers of Proposition 8 must reveal the names of their donors. NOM and Protect Marriage had sued to have those names removed from the website of California's Secretary of State.

A federal judge in Sacramento ruled against ProtectMarriage.com and the National Organization for Marriage in a nearly three-year-old lawsuit, saying the two groups failed to prove they should be exempted from the state's campaign disclosure laws. U.S. District Judge Morrison England Jr. ruled from the bench after a brief hearing and plans to issue a written opinion later, San Francisco Deputy City Attorney Mollie Lee said. "The winners here are really the voters of California," Lee said. "The First Amendment interest that the judge upheld in his ruling is the interest in having a robust democracy, an informed electorate and vigorous debate."

Yesterday's ruling stipulates that the names of future donors must also be revealed. Don't hold your breath for NOM to comply.