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Richardson’s Vote on ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

There has been some confusion, following last night's Democratic debate, about New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson's vote on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" during his time in the House of Representatives. During the debate, Richardson noted that "I voted against it as a Congressman." But this morning, The Washington Note questions Richardson's recollection of his Congressional vote. "Bill Richardson thinks that he voted against Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' I don't think that there ever was a vote -- as I believe that Clinton did this by executive order," the Note says this morning. In fact, there were several votes on the issue (and the ban was not put into place by executive order). Some readers have pointed to a vote in the House, which Richardson supported, and which passed 301-143. There was, however, another vote, considered the key sign of support for or against "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," on which Richardson voted the right way. The so-called Meehan Amendment, which proposed eliminating the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy from the 1994 Defense Authorization Act, was supported by then-Congressman Richardson. That Amendment, unfortunately, failed 169-264, leaving the ban in palce as part of the full DoD authorization, but Richardson was, no question, on the side of open service when he voted on that critical proposal. So, it isn't quite correct to say that Governor Richardson wasn't with us while in the House. In fact, he did vote to end "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" via the Meehan proposal. Of course, what matters most is what Richardson would do as President, and he's been consistent, as a 2008 candidate, in his support for lifting the ban. And, it seems, he was correct in last night's debate, when he seems to have been referring to his vote on the Meehan Amendment, and stripping the DoD authorization bill of its proposal to continue excluding lesbian, gay and bisexual Americans from the armed forces. - Steve Ralls

Labels: 2008, in the news

06-04-07