The Supreme Court yesterday issued an order blocking cameras from the courtroom in the case Perry v. Schwarzenegger which challenges the constitutionality of California's anti-gay ballot initiative.
People For the American Way President Michael B. Keegan issued the following statement:
"This order is another blow against openness and transparency in our federal courts. Thousands of California couples will be directly affected by the decision in this case, and millions more nationwide could ultimately feel its consequences. The far right wing of the Supreme Court is going out of its way to allow the backers of Prop 8 to hide their bigotry from the public.
"Hopefully, this decision can also serve as a powerful reminder of how important it is that fair minded individuals are seated on the federal bench. Decisions like this one have serious consequences, and at the Supreme Court those decisions are all too often driven by a group of right wing ideologues who have brought their extremist agenda to the judicial branch."
###