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Joseph Backholm, chairman and treasurer of Preserve Marriage Washington, and treasurer of Family PAC
Investigators at Washington state’s Public Disclosure Commission are recommending that Joseph Backholm, campaign chair and treasurer of Preserve Marriage Washington, be found in violation of state law and that the case be referred to the Attorney General for legal action.
The charges stem from Mr. Backholm’s actions as treasurer of Family PAC, a political action committee set up in 2009. Family PAC was ostensibly intended to help finance anti-gay ballot measures, but in actuality was used as a vehicle for National Organization for Marriage’s lawyer James Bopp to challenge Washington’s campaign finance disclosure laws. Mr. Backholm never reported the value of Mr. Bopp’s legal assistance to Family PAC, a violation of state law according to the PDC’s 650 page case document:
The complaint alleges that Family PAC failed to disclose over $140,000 in contribution and expenditure activity connected with legal services rendered to the committee. The complaint alleges that these contributions and expenditures were required to be disclosed in PDC filings accessible to the public as early as September 30, 2009, and have not been disclosed. [snip]
Staff’s investigation found that…Family PAC received contributions in the form of legal services provided by the employees and associates of The Bopp Law Firm. The value of legal services and other expenses provided to the committee…was at least $148,972.62, and may have been as much as $940,408.87.
In December 2011, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit upheld Washington’s campaign donor disclosure laws. Mr. Backholm and Family PAC have refused to heed the ruling, and they continue to flout the law.
Mr. Backholm’s current political committee, Preserve Marriage Washington, opposes approval of Referendum 74 and the state’s freedom to marry law. Over 45% of cash raised by Preserve Marriage Washington has come from National Organization for Marriage, which also has failed to disclose its donors.
The Public Disclosure Commission will vote tomorrow, October 25, on whether to forward the Backholm case to the Attorney General. Proceedings will be streamed live on PDC TV. The News Tribune, The Seattle Times and numerous other local newspapers are monitoring this story.
30 Comments
But, but . . . laws are for other people!
but, but….the constitution states a man and WOMAN get married??? i dont think that counts as men that are really woman (between the ears aaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahahahahaha still love that stupid saying) dont count. transgenders also known as gay people who are trying to justify their gayness shouldnt be able to get married either because of the fact that they are still gays trying to get married to their same sex. sorry if you dont like what this country was founded on the get out of it. you wont find many other countries that believe with you… enjoy your civil unions
no they are for everyone, so just like this guy was caught and will have to deal with the law you wont be able to marry your “partner” be satisfied with your union. you cant be married marriage is defined as: a (1) : the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law.
not changing your sex to cover up the fact that your gay because your ashamed of it. that doesnt count either. thanks for the useless words though!
Wow! So is English your second or third language? For if it is your first, you should sue your English teachers for incompetence because both of your comments make Sarah Palin’s word salads sound like the Gettysburg Address in comparison.
Is anyone else amazed at the amount of different election related crimes that go on in this country without any consequence for the offenders? those democrats really know how to fight in general and fight for the votes given to them specifically(snark).
I am so very apologetic for the inconsistencies in my grammar. I should have said this in a more professional was since you homos are so very pretentious and better than everyone else who exists. Let me paraphrase what I had written before…
Laws are for all individuals in state that the law exists in. So just as Joseph Backholm was caught breaking the laws of his state homosexuals break the law of the state that they “marry” in when that state does not endorse gay marriage. Also it is witticism (google it) to conceive the thought that a transgender male or female who has gone through surgery to become something they are not to marry there TRUE same sex.
hope that was better maybe that will resonate with you better. have a horrible day
also sounds like someone is jealous of the very sexy mrs palin. sorry you cant be her cause you were born a boy, or born a very ugly woman
Nice stereotyping but for the record I am a decidedly hetero male who thinks LGBT folks actually deserve to have full civil rights with me.
But nice try
And also for the record, when states offer specific benefits to married couples via the “marriage contract” then deny those benefits to LGBT folks who want to marry the person they love, it IS, by definition, discrimnation
The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things, esp. on the grounds of race, age, or sex.
um i guess it could be but due to the fact that lgbt people are defined differently everywhere. so they have equal rights as everyone due to the fact they can marry any man or woman that is in the opposite sex as them just like i can. so they should be pretty happy they have equal rights…now they dont have “special rights” to marry whoever they want. so they want rights that we dont have as heterosexuals so maybe they are the ones being discriminating.
So you don’t see it as discrimination to deny LGBT the rights to marry whomever they love? Just marry someone of the opposite sex and stay in the closet so you dont have to see them right?
Methinks you should return to your comments at Focus on the Family as you aren’t going to save many souls here no matter how badly you desire to do so
i dont desire to do so, i just wish to speak my mind as so many pushy lgbt’s do. i dont want to save id love to see all of you continue to try to get something you will never have. its hilarious im just here to remind that you are still losing this battle and you will continue to. and to answer your question i do not see it as discrimination marriage is between man and woman have all the civil unions you want 2000 years of marriage between man and woman isnt going to change. a few may fly under the radar but its ok cause no one looks at them as a real married group, also every gay couple that i know here in california (here in the bay) have gotten divorced or separated. i know what that has stayed together for 4 years now. i know 5 couples that have split, i don’t know nationwide statistics but just here im not surprised to see the deviants move on to a bunch of partners and not stay true to a marriage
Since ’04, 7 states have allowed Marriage Equality. At least 11 other countries allow full Marriage Equality. DOMA has been struck down by at least a half ddozen courts including at least one Appeals Court level. Propo 8 has been challenged and struck down. Pubic opinion polls are showing more than half the country now supports Marriage Equality.
Yep, sure looks like things are trending against Marriage Equality and your way.
And so LGBT couple that got married have gotten divorced. Since more than half of ALL marriages end in divorce, what’s your point? I guess all those hetero divorced couples most be “deviants” as well.
“Truth’s” hate speech has no place on any FDL blog.
This person needs to be shown the exit.
yup anybody who speaks against you is a hate monger. is it not true that we can all have different opinions. im not right but neither are you
No. People are encouraged to disagree with each other at FDL and partners. But you are not willing to engage honestly. You came here and immediately started calling names and making the most basic (erroneous) assumptions about individuals who challenged you.
And you are still disrespectful and calling names
the only fact that matters is that 7 states out of 50 is no where near 50%. and even worse the world recognizes 267 countries and a whopping 11 allow “full marriage equality”. no where near half on any level, that being said the only numbers that count instead of your far left news statistics are the ones americans live by which is proof in how many states disagree with your “logic” and DOMA is still active and doing its job. by the way it came into effect in 96 when your favorite Clinton was president he was the one who signed it, dont forget to leave that out.
also yeah the majority of divorces now end in spouses cheating so yes i would say that is pretty deviant
ok then i will stop name calling and start stating facts as i just did
Except, even your facts are shaky. Yes, only 7 states today, but that is 7 more than it was in ’04. Each year, more people are becoming more tolerant and accepting of Marriage Equality.
And since many of the countries that do not accept any LGBT rights are the fundamentalist Muslim countries, do you REALLY want to be allied with hateful theocracies?
I guess you probably do. About the only difference in beliefs between the Taliban and Christianist Fundamentalists is the name of the God, even though it is all supposed to be the same one.
I’m done.
well thanks for throwing me in with the christian lot but im just sick of people i know ramming there lifestyles down my throat christian friends included. no belief in god and truth be told i could care less about muslims cause we all know they are bat shit crazy over there. but to speak more truth are you telling me that ” many of the countries that do not accept any LGBT rights are the fundamentalist Muslim countries” when there are only 49 recognized muslim countries? once again completely incorrect and inaccurate quotes. you need to start doing your research dakine.
No, I was not saying that all the countries you are throwing your lot in with are Muslim, but I was pointing out that you are throwing your lot in with a lot of hateful individuals in this country and many others around the world
If you don’t want to be lumped in with all the haters, then don’t hate. You don’t have to marry another man (or woman if you are female), just don’t deny the rights to LGBT individuals to marry the person they love just because that person happens to be of the same sex. That is not “ramming there(sic) lifestyles” down your throat
what about people who arent like me? what about the people who disagree but do not “hate” as you say i do. im trying to play devils advocate here really i am, so everyone who disagrees with “equal marriage rights” hates gay people??? now im just trying to clarify because that is how you are making it sound…
yeah thats just what i thought. EVERYONE AGAINST GAY MARRIAGE IS EITHER HORRIFIED OF GAY PEOPLE OR HATES THEM OR IS A CHRISTIAN OR IS A CLOSET HOMOSEXUAL. god you fucking people need to find some new logic. like people just know its not right so they disagree with it. once again enjoy the uphill battle, everyone needs something to fight for im just glad im on the side that wont ever see a full gay marriage country. everyone have a beautiful night
Don’t like gay marriage? Don’t have one.
And bless your heart.
Goodbye, “Truth.”
Exactly. She’s a paid troll (though not paid very much). The appropriate response is ‘Oh please. Give me a break!
What the freaking stuff are you talking about?
Referendum 74 does NOT address Transgender issues. I should know. I am a Transsexual Woman who lives in Washington State. So why the freak are you bring this stuff into the conversation except to vent your frustration with Trans people? What happened did you?
But let me actually address your misconception. Transgender people do not transition to our target gender because we are afraid to admit we’re Homosexual and this way we think we can deny our Homosexuality and fool people in society to let us be with the ‘same’ sex.
We transition because of our gender identity and not because of whom we’re attracted to. That’s why so many of us are Bisexual or Homosexual in our target gender. Let me be clear because you might have as much trouble understanding plain English as you have in writing it. A lot of male to female Transgender people are attracted to OTHER WOMEN. So I guess these people transitioned because of internalized heterophobia and they didn’t want to have to admit they were attracted to the ‘opposite’ sex, so they transitioned so they wouldn’t have to deal with the shame of being ‘straight’ men but could move to the lofty position of being perceived as Lesbians?
How do you explain me? I’m bisexual. Why in the world would I transition just so I wouldn’t be perceived as bisexual so I could instead be perceived as… wait for it… bisexual?
On the other hand how do you explain a couple with whom I’m friends? R is a man and B is a woman and both are Trans. If they hadn’t transitioned they’d be a woman and a man, but B would be the man and R would be the woman. Either way they are a straight couple. Your nonsense is ludicrous.
Ah, a lot of us who frequent these progressive blogs do NOT consider Clinton our favorite. A lot of us see him as a Neo-Liberal that we believe was pivotal in the move of the Democratic Party towards the right. You shouldn’t assume things.
I’m a transgender woman who is attracted to women. Most transgender people that aren’t heterosexual — the nubers are at least 64%. Your basic premise on trans people’s sexual orientation is completely factually wrong.
If that means you banned the wingnut, thank you for making FDL a little cleaner.