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Obama Wars Title: Brown to vote 'no' on repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell Brown to vote 'no' on repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell pending Pentagon study E-mail|Link|Comments (458) Posted by Bryan Bender May 25, 2010 10:33 AM By Bryan Bender and Matt Viser, Globe Staff WASHINGTON -- Sen. Scott Brown will vote against repealing 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' when it comes up for a vote Thursday in the Senate Armed Services Committee, dealing a blow to gay rights advocates who were hoping the freshman Republican would support efforts to permit gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military, The Globe's Political Intelligence blog has learned. Brown's highly anticipated decision comes after President Obama and Democratic leaders struck a deal Monday night to overcome Pentagon resistance to changing the law before a top level review of how to implement a new policy is completed by Dec. 1. The deal, outlined in a letter to Congress from the White House Office of Management and Budget, stipulates that any congressional repeal would not go into effect until the Pentagon review is completed. But Brown says that while he is keeping "an open mind" on future efforts, he believes any vote for repeal should be put off until the Pentagon has time to formulate a plan for implementing any new policy. "I am keeping an open mind, but I do not support moving ahead until I am able to finish my review, the Pentagon completes its study, and we can be assured that a new policy can be implemented without jeopardizing the mission of our military," Brown said in a statement provided to the Globe. Brown, who is also a lieutentant colonel in the Massachusetts National Guard, said he came to his decision after hearing the views of multiple officers and enlisted personnel. "For some time now, I have been seeking the opinions and recommendations of service chiefs, commanders in the field, and, most importantly, our junior soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines," he said in the statement. "I believe we have a responsibility to the men and women of our armed forces to be thorough in our consideration of this issue and take their opinions seriously." But it appears to buck the vast majority of Massachusetts voters, according to a poll released today. The poll of 500 registered voters, conducted by Brown's pollster, Neil Newhouse, for the Human Rights Campaign, found that 77 percent of Bay State voters supports repeal. Meanwhile, it found that 62 percent of voters who backed Brown in the January special election support overturning the current law, as do 67 percent of registered independents who voted for him. Criticism from some gay rights groups was swift and unsparing. "The notion that the senator from Massachusetts -- the first state in the nation to have marriage equality and one of the first states to have an anti-discrimination law -- would oppose ending discrimination against gays military personnel is reprehensible," said Arline Isaacson, co-chair of the Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus. She said she was particularly surprised at Brown's explanation because the proposals for repeal in Congress stipulate that the Pentagon review would have to be completed before a new policy would take effect. "What possible excuse could he have other than brazen prejudice?" Isaacson declared. Susan Ryan-Vollmar of MassEquality.org, a grassroots organization, said she, too, is puzzled by Brown's reasoning. "The pentagon review is not studying whether to do this but how to do this." Clark Cooper, executive director of the Log Cabin Republicans in Washington, the gay rights group that has been lobbying Brown for his support on the issue, said he believes the vote planned for this week "would support the work the Pentagon is doing." "Log Cabin Republicans are disappointed that he will not support clearing this arcane policy off the decks," said Cooper, an Army Reserve captain and Iraq War veteran. The Pentagon review, established by Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates in March, is designed to determine any changes in personnel policies, benefits, and the military justice system that might be needed to ensure openly gay service does not disrupt military operations and gay troops are not discriminated against. Gates has insisted it is not meant to guage whether they support overturning the 1993 that only permits gays to serve if they keep their sexual orientation secret. Gates' spokesman said earlier today that the Pentagon chief is relieved that Democrats have agreed that any repeal would not go into effect until after the Pentagon review, but said he remains concerned about moving too quickly. "Secretary Gates continues to believe that ideally the DOD review should be completed before there is any legislation to repeal the Don't Ask Don't Tell law," Geoff Morrell said in a statement. "With Congress having indicated that is not possible, the Secretary can accept the language in the proposed amendment." Brown's opposition makes Sen. Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, the only GOP member to express support for the repeal measure in the committee, which Democrats plan to attach to this year's defense spending bill. Brown's position appears to open up a fierce political fight leading up to the vote, with proponents on both sides of the issue pressing their case to lawmakers. A new report out today from the Family Research Council, a conservative group, supports Brown's position, but goes even further by accusing the Obama administration of "drafting the military into the culture war." On a conference call with reporters organized by the group this afternoon, several retired military officers expressed deep concern that repeal now would be a mistake and possibly disrupt military readiness. "It would send a damaging message to the men and women in uniform," said retired Marine Corps Gen. Jack Sheehan -- namely that their views on the issue or not necessary. In addition to the Senate committee, a separate vote on repeal before the full House of Representatives is also scheduled for Thursday. Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, which has represented some of the more than 13,000 troops that have been discharged under the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy since 1994, said he believes it is still possible for Brown to change his mind. "It is very hard for me to see a senator from the Bay State voting against repeal," he said. A Senate aide tells the Globe that fellow member of the Massachusetts National Guard plans to meet with Brown later today to urge him to vote for repeal.
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#2. To: Badeye (#0)
Translated: "I haven't polled this issue yet."
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