NOM Files Yet Another Lawsuit Challenging Disclosure Laws

by Admin

Group Takes Fight to Hide Anti-Equality Campaign to Rhode Island as Federal Court Rejects Similar Challenge in Minnesota

9/24/2010

WASHINGTON– As part of its radical nationwide efforts to dismantle state laws that provide transparency about who is funding political campaigns, the National Organization for Marriage this week filed suit in Rhode Island seeking to have their disclosure laws ruled unconstitutional. The suit comes the same week as NOM lost in federal court in Minnesota on a similar case.

“One thing’s for sure – NOM feels like they have something to hide,” said Human Rights Campaign Vice President of Communications and Marketing Fred Sainz. “In yet another state, NOM is trying to eviscerate the fair and open process that governs election spending in this country. What lengths won’t they go to in order to shield themselves from public scrutiny?”

The case – National Organization for Marriage v. John Daluz – was filed in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island on September 21. Daluz is the named defendant in his official capacity as Vice Chairman of the state board of elections.

This new lawsuit brought by NOM’s lawyers is similar to other public disclosure challenges they have made across the country including in Minnesota and New York. In Maine NOM remains under investigation by the Maine Ethics Commission for failing to register with the state as a ballot question committee and disclose the donors to its campaign to overturn Maine’s marriage equality law in 2009. In Washington State, NOM’s lawyers fought the state’s public records law all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court – and lost. A federal court in California has similarly rejected NOM’s efforts to hide its donors in the wake of Proposition 8.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

Contact Us

To make a general inquiry, please visit our contact page. Members of the media can reach our press office at: (202) 572-8968 or email press@hrc.org.