VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Polygamist leader Winston Blackmore says the lawyer who will argue against this country's polygamy laws in a court reference case this fall should step aside over political donations made to the Liberal government.

The name of the lawyer, George K. MacIntosh, and his law firm appear on Liberal party donor lists for tens of thousands of dollars in contributions during the past five years.

MacIntosh, who has not been available for comment, was nominated by the B.C. attorney general's ministry and appointed by the court to be what's called an amicus in the case, arguing against the government's position to uphold the polygamy ban.

Blackmore says the political donations "smell bad" and MacIntosh should quit, just as a special prosecutor in an investigation involving former solicitor general Kash Heed did earlier this week following similar revelations.

Attorney General Mike de Jong notes it was up to the court to confirm MacIntosh's appointment, and he says lawyers have the same right as everyone else to make political contributions.

Blackmore, one of the leaders of the polygamous community of Bountiful, B.C., plans to boycott the hearings after the B.C. Supreme Court rejected his request for government funding.