Courage Campaign Institute joins rally in support of marriage equality immediately before Proposition 8 federal trial begins Monday morning

 
MEDIA ADVISORY 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 10, 2010

 

Courage Campaign Institute joins rally in support of marriage equality immediately before Proposition 8 federal trial begins Monday morning


What:

The Courage Campaign, which on Friday delivered 140,761 signatures urging Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker to publicly televise the proceedings in the federal case to overturn California’s Proposition 8, will join Marriage Equality USA and other organizations opposing Prop. 8 on Monday (January 11) morning at the Federal Building in San Francisco immediately prior to the start of the trial.      

Rick Jacobs, Chair of the Courage Campaign, will address the incredible response to the recent signature drive that gathered 140,761 signatures in just three days. Since the passage of Prop 8, the Courage Campaign has organized one of the largest and most active online equality movements, mobilizing more than 700,000 supporters. 

Judge Walker ruled Wednesday to allow limited video coverage of the trial, what Jacobs called “a half-measure.” On Friday, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected an attempt by Prop 8 supporters to overturn Judge Walker’s ruling. The U.S. Supreme Court is currently reviewing an emergency appeal filed on Saturday to stay the case.
 
Available for interview:
Rick Jacobs, Chair, Courage Campaign Institute

Others in attendance:
Marriage Equality USA leaders Molly McKay & Davina Kotulski and Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis, Equality California’s Andrea Shorter, PFLAG parents Sam & Julia Thoron and Helen Laird, NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell, Lambda Marriage Project Director Jenny Pizer, Equal Justice Society’s Eva Patterson, couples who married, couples who want to marry, and clergy leaders.

Where:
Federal Courthouse
450 Golden Gate Ave
San Francisco, CA 94102
 
When:
Monday, January 11
6:30am-8:30am

Background: Following the court’s announcement late Monday that it was seeking public comment on the proposal to televise the trial the Courage Campaign Institute teamed up with CREDO Action to organize support to publicly televise the proceedings in the federal case to overturn California’s Proposition 8. The letter was signed by 140,671 people calling for a publicly accessible trial. Both organizations presented these signatures to the court Friday morning. A copy of the letter can be seen at:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/TeleviseTheTrial

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