Brody's Notes... National Stonewall Democrats’ Say “Enough” To GOP Obstruction Of DADT Repeal

Linsey Pecikonis is Director of Communications for the National Stonewall Democrats

By Linsey Pecikonis (Washington DC) SEPT 21 | “I hope that the Log Cabin Republicans will stop trying to blame those who are working through the legislative process to finally repeal DADT once and for all and instead work to change the votes of their party’s Senators and have it pass with the bipartisan support they claim they have.” 

Michael Mitchell, Executive Director of the National Stonewall Democrats, released this statement on the eve of the vote for the National Defense Authorization Act, which includes a provision stripping the language know for 17 years as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

"To the GOP: Enough is enough. There’s political gamesmanship and there’s just plain lying. It’s time to tell the truth: if the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell doesn’t make it through a cloture vote tomorrow—and we sincerely hope it does – it won’t be the Democrats’ fault and it certainly won’t be the fault of Sen. Harry Reid."

The Log Cabin Republicans are claiming that Sen. Reid is only allowing three amendments with the National Defense Authorization Act, which contains repeal of DADT, and that he won’t let anyone else bring up other amendments. Fact: last Thursday, before LCR issued their press release, Senator Reid said from the floor of the Senate,

"I am willing to work with Republicans on a process that will permit the Senate to consider these matters and complete the bill as soon as possible, which likely will be after the recess." ([Page: S7159] of the Congressional Record).

Mitchell also noted: 

"I hope that the Log Cabin Republicans will stop trying to blame those who are working through the legislative process to finally repeal DADT once and for all and instead work to change the votes of their party’s Senators and have it pass with the bipartisan support they claim they have."