Oregon Public Broadcasting

Leaders of an effort to overturn Washington's latest gay domestic partnership law say they're prepared to go to court.

That's after Washington's Public Disclosure Commission refused Thursday to seal the names of campaign donors. Olympia Correspondent Austin Jenkins reports.

Protect Marriage Washington is leading the fight to put Referendum 71 on the November ballot.

It would allow voters to decide whether to keep or reject the “everything but marriage” law passed earlier this year by the legislature.

Referendum 71 backers say they've been inundated with nasty emails, phone calls and in some cases threats.

As a result their attorney Stephen Pidgeon asked the PDC to protect the identities of the campaign's donors. He wanted only the donors initials and hometowns published on the public website.

Stephen Pidgeon: “Because what is taking place now in the State of Washington is a voter intimidation, and voter oppression and first amendment rights suppression.”

The bipartisan commission rejected Pidgeon's motion on a four to nothing vote – saying the evidence presented did not trump the public's right to know.