The judge’s original ruling to release tapes of the Proposition 8 trial proceedings that the U.S. Supreme Court forbade from being televised last year outraged marriage defenders in California.
Pro-family activists' desire to keep the tapes sealed is based upon a fear that Prop. 8 witnesses will be harassed for their stand, as other Prop. 8 supporters have been.
“Claiming to be anti-discriminatory, this new law discriminates against all employers who limit their benefits to married couples," said pro-family activist Ron Prentice.
Pro-family groups had argued that Judge Walkers long-term relationship with a man tainted his ability to approach the constitutional debate even-handedly in the public eye.
“Simply because he donated to Prop. 8, he was declared by the gay rights movement to be unacceptable for public office,” said Maggie Gallagher, chairman of the National Organization for Marriage.
"Chief Judge Walker plainly had an interest that could be substantially affected by the outcome of the proceeding,” wrote the Protect Marriage lawyers.