Interesting Times For Washington state AG
AG McKenna at SCOTUS (photo: Washington AG website)
Washington state Attorney General Robert McKenna will argue in defense of his state’s disclosure law April 28 when oral arguments are heard at the Supreme Court. It’s a high profile case, seen by some as a proxy battle over the gay marriage issue because the case focuses on whether the names of those who supported a ballot initiative that would have overturned a law giving gay partners benefits rights should be made public (Doe v. Reed is the name of the case). What’s interesting is that McKenna, a Republican, has also been in the news for joining the battle against the new federal health care reform law.
His intervention on that issue brought ire (and ridicule) from gay rights supporters, who are presumably a little confused over his decision to argue the disclosure case. McKenna’s office was required to defend the state disclosure law against attack, but he didn’t have to argue it himself. McKenna has said the case is simply a question of transparency. He has previously argued, and won, two cases at the Supreme Court. As for the health care law, it was his call to join that fight, over the objections of Gov. Chris Gregoire, a Democrat.
Lawrence Hurley 