News Archive
A Lesbian in Obama’s Cabinet?
President-elect Barack Obama this week was reportedly considering nominating an openly gay person to serve as labor secretary. The Wall Street Journal reported that Obama was considering Mary Beth Maxwell, the founding executive director of American Rights at Work, to head the Labor Department. If nominated, and confirmed by the Senate, she would be the nation's first openly gay cabinet member. Another Obama nomination that could affect gays is Defense Secretary Robert Gates, a holdover from the Bush administration. As head of the Defense Department, Gates would have a voice in deciding how to implement Obama's campaign promise to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, said he "absolutely" believes that his organization would have a better working relationship with Gates under the Obama administration than it did under the Bush administration. Sarvis said he expects that "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" would be on the agenda in the next Congress and that Gates and his new team would make a recommendation to the White House on this issue. ...Read More
Obama Opposes Gay Military Ban, but Repealing It Could Take a Year or Two
When it comes to President-elect Barack Obama making good on his campaign promise to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," gays and lesbians - 70 percent of whom voted for him - may have to be patient. Advocates of the repeal are warning that any action might take a year or more. Given the host of issues on Obama's plate, they say that some delay is understandable. But it may not simply be a fiscal crisis and two wars that could put off reversing the military policy, which mandates discharge of gays or lesbians if they speak about their sexual orientation or engage in homosexual conduct. Instead, the delay could be a result of the repeal strategy that many advocates are encouraging Obama to pursue - one that would focus on consensus building and securing the military's support. "At the end of the day, it's not about getting it done in the first 180 days. It's not about the calendar. It's about getting the right results," says Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, a nonprofit dedicated to overturning the ban. ...Read More
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network Welcomes Congresswoman Susan Davis to San Diego Reception
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-CA) will join Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) on Thursday to discuss how the new Congress and Administration can play a role in helping to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," (DADT) the federal statute which mandates the firing of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation. SLDN Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis will provide comments on President-elect Barack Obama's recent appointments and the implications they could have on the DADT debate. Testimonies of discharge under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" will be shared, and the status of the Military Readiness Enhancement Act (H.R. 1246), which would repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and institute a nondiscrimination law, will also be discussed. ...Read More
