Prop. 8 supporters must be identified

SACRAMENTO,

Calif. — A federal judge denied a request Thursday to keep

secret the names of donors to California's anti-gay marriage

initiative, saying the public had a right to know who gave money to

state ballot measures.Supporters of the Proposition 8

initiative, which overturned a state Supreme Court ruling that allowed

gay marriage, had sought a preliminary injunction to remove the

identities of those who contributed to their campaign from the

secretary of state's Web site. The initiative was approved by voters in

November.They also had asked U.S. District Judge Morrison

England Jr. to block the Monday release of the names of donors who

either gave money two weeks before the election or shortly afterward.

Those names will be publicly released in postelection campaign finance

reports.But the judge sided with the state, saying that

California's campaign disclosure laws were intended to protect the

public and were especially important during expensive initiative

campaigns.\"If there ever needs to be sunshine on a political issue, it is with a ballot measure,\" England said.He

said many campaign committees have vague names that obscure their

intent, and the public would have no way of knowing who was behind the

campaigns unless they could see who was giving money.Supporters

of the ban on gay marriage said public disclosure of their financial

supporters had put the donors at risk of personal harassment or

boycotts to their businesses.Frank Schubert, co-manager of the Yes on 8 campaign, said another 1,600 people would be put at risk with the release of the reports.The