CALIFORNIA BRIEFING / SACRAMENTO

Proponents of a ballot measure that banned same-sex marriage filed a lawsuit in federal court this week seeking to overturn state campaign finance laws that require that names and personal information of donors to California political campaigns be made public.

They contended that donors to Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage in California after one of the most heated campaigns in recent memory, have become victims of threats and harassment because their support of the ban was made public.

“This harassment is made possible because of California’s unconstitutional campaign finance disclosure rules as applied to ballot measure committees, where even donors of as little as $100 must have their names, home addresses and employers listed on public documents,” said Ron Prentice, the head of the Protect Marriage Coalition, in a statement.

Since 1974, state law has required that donors who give at least $100 must have their names disclosed. The law was intended to prevent money laundering and to disclose who is making contributions to political campaigns. It has withstood several previous legal challenges.

First amendment experts said they do not believe that the suit stands much of a chance of success.

“This trashes the 1st Amendment, and it is a thinly veiled attempt to eliminate transparency as to the role of money in state election campaigns,” said Mark Rosenbaum, legal director of the ACLU of Southern California. The ACLU was a major opponent of Proposition 8.

-- Jessica Garrison