A national gay-and-lesbian Republican grassroots political group, the “Log Cabin Republicans,” was victorious in its lawsuit asserting that the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy (DADT) violates the Fifth and First Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
The ruling, likely to be appealed, comes at a time when President Barack Obama has urged the repeal of DADT, and a proposal to do just that is expected to come before the Senate this month. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chief of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen support the repeal.
DADT was signed into law in 1993 by former President Bill Clinton. The rule allows military members who are gay or lesbian to serve as long as they are not open about their orientation.
