Judge blocks Calif. law protecting officials’ privacy

SACRAMENTO (AP) — Gun owners’ rights advocates are free to publish the home addresses and telephone numbers of California state lawmakers who voted for firearms restrictions, a federal judge decided Monday.

It is the second time in a week that judges decided that California lawmakers went too far in protecting the private information of public figures.

U.S. Chief District Judge Lawrence O’Neill of Fresno issued a preliminary injunction Monday blocking a state law that lets public officials demand that their private information be removed from the internet if they fear for their safety or the safety of their families.

O’Neill ruled that the state law is too broad and violates the advocates’ free speech rights. Publishing the lawmakers’ personal information “is a form of political protest,” he said in a 38-page opinion.

The bloggers were protesting a law that requires the state to collect the personal information of those who buy firearms and ammunition in California. When viewed in that context, the judge decided, “the legislators’ personal information becomes a matter of public concern.”

A California blogger who goes by the pseudonym “Doe Publius” and writes under the name “The Real Write Winger” posted the identifying information for 40 state lawmakers after Governor Jerry Brown signed several gun control bills into law in July 2016. It was later republished by another blogger.

“These tyrants are no longer going to be insulated from us,” he wrote. “These are the people who voted to send you to prison if you exercise your rights and liberties” as a gun owner.

At least six state senators reported receiving threatening phone calls or social media messages that appeared to have been prompted by the blog entry, according to court documents.

Legislative Counsel Diane Boyer-Vine soon demanded, on behalf of lawmakers, that two advocates remove the information from their websites.

The Legislative Counsel’s office is evaluating the case, Assembly spokesman Kevin Liao said.

O’Neill gave the state until March 10 to decide its next step. Spokesmen for legislative leaders did not immediately comment.