Judge Denies DADT Stay

Breaking via numerous Twitter observers is word that Judge Virginia Phillips has denied the Justice Department's request for a stay on her injunction against enforcing DADT. The DOJ will now rush their appeal over to the Ninth Circuit Court.

REACTIONS

National Gay & Lesbian Task Force

"Judge Phillips again rejected the government's bunk that it's necessary this discriminatory policy remain in effect any longer. She and the overwhelming majority of Americans have rightly concluded it's time to make 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' a policy of the past. Our elected officials have diddled around and played the delay game as the careers of thousands of courageous, patriotic service members have been destroyed. Phillips said enough is enough, and we couldn't agree more.”

Human Rights Campaign

Today, federal district judge Virginia Phillips, following on her July decision striking down the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law in a case brought by the Log Cabin Republicans, and her subsequent injunction barring enforcement of DADT, refused to issue a stay on her decision. Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese issued the following statement: “Judge Phillips once again did the right thing for our national security. We call on the administration not to appeal her decision. DADT is an unconscionable law that forces brave lesbian and gay Americans to serve in silence and has forced 14,000 patriotic Americans out of the military. The law is detrimental, not only to our national security, but also to the core American value of fairness.”

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network

"By the judge keeping the injunction in place, lesbian and gay service members are protected another day, but the uncertainty has not gone away. The Department of Justice will immediately ask the 9th Circuit to stay the injunction. We're talking about the careers of patriots, people who are on the frontlines serving our country - some of whom are highly decorated - and the court needs to keep the injunction in place. As the DOJ fights to keep this unconstitutional and oppressive law, we are monitoring active-duty clients' cases and fielding calls every day to our hotline. During this interim period of uncertainty, service members must not come out. Our service members need finality. Given the uncertainty in the courts, we urge the Senate to act swiftly next month on repeal when they return to Washington."

Log Cabin Republicans

"Judge Phillips is right to stand with servicemembers by rejecting President Obama's request to continue this discriminatory policy," said R. Clarke Cooper, Executive Director of Log Cabin Republicans. "It is vital that as a nation we uphold the fundamental constitutional rights of all soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and coast guardsmen. As this past week has shown, our military is well-equipped to adapt to open service, and eager to get on with the work of defending our freedom. As Commander in Chief, the president should drop his defense of a policy which he knows undermines military readiness and threatens national security. The president has said that 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' will end on his watch, but is currently standing in the way of its demise. Log Cabin Republicans will continue to fight this policy no matter how many obstacles he puts in the way."

Photo below by JMG reader Justin Elzie.