Truthout is an indispensable resource for activists, movement leaders and workers everywhere. Please make this work possible with a quick donation.
A federal appeals court on Tuesday rejected one challenge to a federal judge’s ruling that declared California’s Proposition 8 ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional, and the three-judge panel decided to ask the California Supreme Court to consider the legitimacy of a separate challenge to the historic ruling.
The appeals court rejected a motion to intervene on behalf of Proposition 8 proponents filed by clerks from California’s Imperial County. The county clerks are involved in issuing marriage license, but the appeals court ruled the clerks do not have the authority to intervene.
The primary challenge to Chief District Judge Vaughn Walker’s August 4 ruling that declared the gay marriage ban unconstitutional comes from Proposition 8’s proponents, who petitioned to appeal Walker’s decision in September after state officials failed to defend the ban.
Instead of ruling on Proposition 8 itself, the Ninth District Court of Appeals is asking the California Supreme Court to decide if the Proposition 8 proponents can legally appeal the August 4 ruling.
The Proposition 8 proponents, who originally campaigned for the ban, argue that they have the authority to defend the law they sponsored as a ballot initiative. The ban was approved by a slim majority of California voters in 2008.
If the California Supreme Court decides that the proponents can appeal, the constitutional questions surrounding Proposition 8 will likely be argued in the Ninth Circuit and then the US Supreme Court.
Important Message: Please Read
For 25 years, Truthout has survived by publishing impactful investigative journalism and analysis; distributing full editions 365 days a year; and building a community of readers who support us with small, hard-earned donations.
Eighty percent of our $3 million yearly budget comes from small donors alone. Of those, 8,000 readers support us with monthly donations. Back in 2018, when Facebook decided to suppress the circulation of posts made by organizations, thereby cutting readers off from seeing many articles shared by the news organizations they had intentionally decided to follow, Truthout’s total traffic declined by 40 percent, as nearly all of our traffic from that platform disappeared.
Now, Google has recently rolled out its AI search bar, providing AI summaries instead of directing readers to our site. Google Search is our single largest source of traffic; it’s the route by which nearly one third of our readers find us. Much like in 2018, a shocking 40 percent of our Google traffic has disappeared overnight.
It will not be easy for Truthout to shoulder this blow. Nor will it be easy for our peers and collaborators — news sites that depend on traffic and aren’t bankrolled by large corporations.
If you can support Truthout with a donation today, you can help us resist the AI onslaught. Please give today.