UPDATE: PMI & IFI Appeal Bad Ruling by Clinton Judge
Dear Friends of Marriage,
Yesterday we received word that United States District Court Judge Elaine B. Bucklo (a Clinton appointee) had ruled against our complaint that the Illinois election code for advisory referenda (such as the Protect Marriage Illinois referendum) is unconstitutionally burdensome to Illinois citizens–thus infringing on their right to petition their government.
We think Judge’ Bucklo’s decision was rushed and shallow. So, with the help of our good friends at the Alliance Defense Fund, we are appealing it. Our appeal was filed today.
Judge Bucklo disregarded our First Amendment claims and therefore did not agree with our contention that the referendum rules as applied by the State Board of Election (SBE) were unfair and unreasonable. Basically, she acquiesced to a very low standard when it comes to the state upholding citizens’ rights to petition their government. The advisory referendum rules are incredibly arcane and complicated: eight Illinois cities are their own election jurisdiction (treated separately from Illinois’ 102 counties), which led to thousands of PMI signatures being disqualified or not submitted to the SBE.
Many people have asked: why is the Left in Illinois so afraid of a non-binding referendum asking citizens to vote YES or NO on this question: “To secure and preserve the benefits of marriage for our society and for future generations of children, a marriage between a man and a woman is the only legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this state.”
