Statement on Supreme Court ruling to delay decision on YouTube broadcasts of Proposition 8 federal trial

 
PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 11, 2010
 

LOS ANGELES, CA – Rick Jacobs, Chair of the 700,000-member Courage Campaign, released the following statement today regarding the Supreme Court’s decision to postpone a decision until Wednesday on the posting of YouTube videos of the Proposition 8 federal trial:

“While we are disappointed that the Supreme Court is postponing public access to the most important civil rights trial in a generation, the opportunity still remains for the nation’s highest court to open up this trial so the American people can witness history. We are confident the Supreme Court court will rule in favor of full transparency so the American people can see the truth that same-sex marriage strengthens our country.”

“In just three days, 140,671 members Americans signed a Courage Campaign letter to Judge Vaughn Walker during the public comment period asking to televise the proceedings of the Prop. 8 trial. Americans care deeply about marriage equality and they clearly want to see and hear this case unfold. It’s time that the debate about marriage equality is seen for what it is — a debate over the rights of our friends and families to live their lives freely.”

Background: Following the court’s announcement last 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