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NOM opens coffers to anti-LGBT campaign in California, but how much?

WASHINGTON – According to a media advisory from the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles, the National Organization for Marriage is involved in a $1 million independent expenditure campaign to support Carly Fiorina for Senate, a candidate they point out opposes marriage equality. Today, the Human Rights Campaign – the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization – called on NOM, which has a long history of trying to hide political contributions, to disclose how much they're contributing to this effort. As the LA Times points out in reporting on the new campaign, "finding out where the money comes from – if and when it actually does come – is virtually impossible."
"Like a broken record, NOM is again involved in a campaign with an anti-LGBT message yet the public has no idea how deep they're reaching into their coffers," said Fred Sainz, HRC's vice president of communications. "Apparently they have some gas money left from their sham summer tour to once again flood the airwaves with lies about same-sex couples who only seek the same rights as everyone else."
NOM has a history of trying to evade long-established public disclosure laws and to hide their political activities from legitimate scrutiny and accountability. In doing so, they have falsely alleged that their donors have been harassed and intimidated across the country to justify why it shouldn't have to play by the same rules as everyone else. These tactics have prompted a state ethics investigation in Maine and recent court defeats across the country.
In Washington state, NOM's lawyers fought the state's public records law all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court – and lost last month. A federal court in California similarly rejected NOM's efforts to hide its donors and debunked its claims of harassment and intimidation in the wake of Proposition 8.
"While the stated intent of this independent expenditure is to support Carly Fiorina, clearly NOM wants to poison the well around the marriage debate in California," said Sainz. "With polls showing movement towards equality for all families, they see the writing on the wall and will stop at nothing to turn the clock backwards."

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.
[7/29/10]