WA Heterosexual Supremacists Win Temporary Stay From Kennedy

The stakes are getting higher and higher in Washington state over whether the names of the people who signed petitions which allowed Referendum 71 to barely qualify for the November 3rd 2009 ballot will be released to the public. Earlier today, Justice Anthony Kennedy re-instated a U.S. District Court ruling that had been overturned by a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals panel on Thursday which had shielded the names of heterosexual supremacists who were told they were signing petitions to ban gay marriage, when really what Referendum 71 would do is eliminate Washington state's recently enacted comprehensive domestic partnership law.

According to the SCOTUS blog which monitors all actions by the United states Supreme Court:

UPDATE 2:55 p.m. Justice Anthony M. Kennedy on Monday afternoon put back into effect, temporarily, a federal judge’s order that protects the privacy of signers of a petition seeking a voter referendum on a gay rights law in Washington State. He did so, however, only until a further order is issued by himself or by the Court; the order is here. Kennedy acted on the basis of the application, before getting a response, due this afternoon, from state officials. FURTHER UPDATE 5:50 p.m. The state officials’ response is now in; it can be found here.

It is likely that Kennedy will refer the matter to the full Court and the matter will be resolved on Tuesday.