Washington anti-gays enjoy a Pyrrhic victory

The online encyclopedia site Wikipedia defines a Pyrrhic victory as "a victory with devastating cost to the victor."

Those pushing for a referendum against in Washington state on expanded domestic partnership benefits should keep that in mind. Though they have won a major battle, the victory could lead them to lose the war.

A Washington judge yesterday rejected a challenge to the referendum, Referendum 71, based on a technicality - the challenge was not filed in the right county. He, however acknowledged that those challenging Referendum 71 has adequate evidence to prove their case:

Among the problems the judge cited: Tens of thousands of signatures may have been invalid because declarations on some petitions - attesting that voters signed knowingly, and were not paid or wrongly induced to provide their signatures - were left blank or simply rubber-stamped moments before being turned in.

Since 2006, Reed's office accepted such petitions under legal guidance from the state attorney general, noting that the state law merely requires the declarations to be printed on the back of signature petitions - it doesn't require the declarations to be signed.

(King County Superior Court Judge Julie)Spector questioned that analysis.

"This essentially renders the declaration requirement meaningless," she wrote.

. . . And finally, Spector noted, some people were apparently lied to by signature gatherers, who told them, for example, that the expanded domestic partnership benefits would force public schools to teach that same-sex marriage and homosexuality are normal, even over the objections of parents.

"It is unclear whether a signature-gatherer can swear that an individual signer has signed the petition 'knowingly' when the signature-gatherer has allegedly misrepresented the contents of the petition," the judge said.

So basically the anti-gay forces now have a victory but another one like it could sink them.

Now barring any decision by those against the referendum to re-file a challenge, Referendum 71 will go on the ballot, but with the stigma of lies and fraud.

And it could be a boon for those looking to defeat the referendum if they take advantage of it via commercials and the like.