BREAKING: Internal Memo from U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General to JAG Officers
Warning: Service members still remain vulnerable.
From Rachel Maddow's blog: http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/
The Pentagon is putting a hold on kicking people out of the military for being gay, while it continues to study whether to appeal this week's court ruling that Don't Ask, Don't Tell is unconstitutional
http://www.sldn.org/...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 14, 2010
Trevor Thomas: (616) 430-2030 or trevor@sldn.org
Paul DeMiglio: (202) 621-5408 or paul@sldn.org
BREAKING: Internal Memo from U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General to JAG Officers: Uphold Court Injunction
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN), a national, legal services and policy organization dedicated to ending "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" (DADT), learned today an email was sent to JAG officers in the U.S. Air Force stating that until the Department of Justice makes a decision on the recent ruling by judge Virginia A. Phillips, the Air Force needs to abide by the district court injunction. The injunction said to "immediately to suspend and discontinue any investigation, or discharge, separation, or other proceeding" related to DADT.Statement by Army veteran and SLDN Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis:
"This is an extraordinarily positive development and we would anticipate each Judge Advocate General from all the branches would follow suit in providing similar legal guidance to their respective commands. This interim period is dangerous. We need to put the safety and well being of gay and lesbian service members first. Service members continue to remain vulnerable under DADT. The President needs to deliver on his promise to end the law this year. Unfortunately, it is becoming more and more clear that the Obama Administration intends to seek a stay to this injunction and it is going to appeal the decision. DADT may well be in a state of flux. It will remain the law unless the U.S. Senate acts in December and we have certification by the White House and Pentagon shortly thereafter."
Maddow last night....
I hereby declare that I will never get another callback in Washington ever again for putting it this way to you, but it is the way it is
HA! Hon, they know what a force you are to be reckoned with. They need you, we need you. Keep sticking it to them!
Tweet from Rachel just a few minutes ago....
@maddow
Rachel Maddow MSNBC
Heads spinning here as everyone's trying to figure out what's going on with DADT.
Recap of her show last night regarding DADT
update:http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/10/reports_doj_will_ask_for_stay_of_dadt_injun
ction_p.php
The DOJ, in its request, points out early on that President Obama supports the repeal of DADT.
"The President strongly supports repeal of the DADT statute that the Court has found
unconstitutional, a position shared by the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff," it reads.
"As the President has stated previously, the Administration does not support the DADT statute as a matter of policy and strongly supports its repeal. However, the Department of Justice has long followed the practice of defending federal statutes as long as reasonable arguments can be made in support of their constitutionality, even if the Administration disagrees with a particular statute as a policy matter, as it does here," it says.