NEW YORK: Log Cabin Republicans To Join Coalition For Marriage Equality

Yesterday I reported that Freedom To Marry, Marriage Equality New York, the Empire State Pride Agenda, and the Human Rights Campaign were joining in an unprecedented coalition to bring marriage equality to New York. You can now add the Log Cabin Republicans to that list. Via press release:

With the addition of the Log Cabin Republicans, the coalition now includes all five leading LGBT rights organizations operating in New York State. The announcement by the Log Cabin Republicans of New York–representing Republicans who support fairness, freedom and equality for gay and lesbian Americans–reflects the bipartisan support in New York State for allowing all loving and committed couples to marry. Support from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle will be needed for passage. “Marriage is not a progressive or conservative issue. It’s an issue of equal rights for taxpaying citizens of this state,” said Gregory T. Angelo, Chairman of the Log Cabin Republicans of New York State. “For the first time, we are truly united in our fight to ensure every single New Yorker has the right to marry the person he or she loves.”

Log Cabin Head Backs Boehner On DOMA

Chris Matthews rips Log Cabin president R. Clark Cooper over his backing of House Speaker John Boehner's plan to defend DOMA.

LCR To Court: Keep DADT Case Open

Yesterday the Log Cabin Republicans filed a brief demanding that a San Francisco federal appeals court continue to hear their DADT repeal lawsuit.

Lawyers for Log Cabin Republicans filed a brief Monday arguing that because the ban has not been lifted, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals needs to maintain its schedule in the government's challenge to the lower court's ruling. It came in response to a Justice Department motion seeking to suspend the case for at least three months. The department faces a Jan. 24 deadline for submitting opening arguments. Government lawyers say putting the appeal on hold would allow the Pentagon to focus on training troops and other tasks necessary for completing the repeal of the ban.

LCR Responds To Rachel Maddow

The Log Cabin Republicans are stomping their homocon feet over Rachel Maddow's calling out of their support for the opponent of DADT-sponsor Rep. Patrick Murphy.

Log Cabin Republicans recognize the role that Representative Patrick Murphy took on in efforts to end the failed ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy, however it is a mistake to argue, as some have, that his loss had anything to do with his work for repeal. Such claims are, in fact, dangerous to the equality movement because they send the false message that support for ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ repeal is politically dangerous. The truth is Republicans won this year because of our positions on taxes, smaller government and Americans’ frustration with the out-of-touch Democratic leadership in Washington. No majority is ever permanent, and we knew the pendulum was going to swing hard in the GOP’s favor this year, which made it all the more important for Log Cabin to cultivate allies within a Republican Congress. When every other gay rights organization has wedded itself to the Democratic Party instead of working across party lines to build coalitions, pro-equality legislation is only hurt. Our efforts must be about securing support for passage of the legislation we agree upon.

LCR says that Murphy's replacement-to-be, Mike Fitzpatrick, has pledged to support the repeal of DADT too. That promise, of course, is useless, because the issue will never again be voted upon in the coming GOP-dominated House.

Rachel Maddow Slams Log Cabin

"Behold what is supposed to be a gay rights movement, siding against [DADT sponsor] Rep. Patrick Murphy."

HomoQuotable - Dustin Lance Black

"Harvey Milk spent the last years of his life fighting not only for rights for gays and lesbians across the nation, but also against the idea that the only way to achieve those rights is to lobby the government and financially support so-called 'straight allies'. Harvey believed the best way to secure our rights was through grassroots action, coalition building and the election of LGBT people to office at all levels of government. He encouraged people to come out of the closet and be vocal about who they were and why they deserved full equality, not partial equality or crumbs. For the HRC leadership, which still advocates a piecemeal, wait-and-see approach to try and co-opt and profit from Harvey's legacy is an outrage." - Oscar winning Milk screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, in a joint statement with the Log Cabin Republicans denouncing HRC's move into Harvey Milk's camera store.

RELATED: Wayne Besen of Truth Wins Out is denouncing the LCR's denouncement.

Before I hear the Log Cabin Republicans whine about HRC, I want to see these Uncle Marys pave the way by making the Republican Party more friendly towards LGBT Equality. When Log Cabin recruits and puts forth viable candidates that can actually be endorsed, we can begin an honest discussion. Until then, they are just blowing smoke where the sun don’t shine. As for Black, he ought to pick his fights and friends more carefully. Right now he is a hero. I would hate to see his moral authority erode by getting bogged down in community infighting when he ought to keep his eye on the ball by battling our real enemies — most of whom happen to be Republicans.

PODCAST: Same Sex Sunday

Same Sex Sunday is a weekly LGBT news and activism podcast hosted by Phil Reese and Joe Mirabella. This week's guests:

Christian Berle: Deputy Director, Log Cabin Republicans
Christopher Massicotte: Treasurer, Stonewall Democrats
Shawn Werner: Director of Campaign Services, Victory Fund
Michael J Wilson: Director, Americans for Democratic Action

Today's topics: "After Tuesday's election, the political landscape clearly changed for the gay, lesbian, bi, and transgender communities. But how did it change? What does a Republican majority mean? What role do Log Cabin Republicans play in moving us forward? How did state races move us closer to marriage equality? Will Obama face a Democratic primary challenge?"

BREAKING: Federal Appeals Court Issues Indefinite Stay On Overturn Of DADT

In a suckily timed Election Eve ruling, late this afternoon the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals indefinitely extended their stay on the overturn of DADT.

In an eight-page order, the judges said they were persuaded by the Department of Justice's argument that U.S. District Court Judge Virginia Phillips' worldwide injunction against the 1993 policy "will seriously disrupt ongoing and determined efforts by the Administration to devise an orderly change of policy." Monday's decision means gay Americans who disclose their sexual orientations still can't enlist in the armed forces and can be discharged. It also heightens pressure on the Obama administration to persuade the U.S. Senate to repeal the 1993 law before a new Congress is sworn in.

The Court also gave the DOJ until January 24th to file their broader appeal against Judge Phillips' ruling. And the Log Cabin Republicans now have until February 22nd to respond to that.

REACTIONS

Lambda Legal

"Today's ruling means additional months or even years of needless suffering by lesbian, gay and bisexual service members, who must continue to live in fear of discovery until the appeals process is complete – or until Congress or the President steps up to the plate. But it's important to remember that today's ruling was not: a consideration of the merits of the case. That remains for another day. Each day that 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' remains in effect, it destroys lives and careers, undermines national security, and forces the discharge of the very personnel our military needs in a time of war. The pressure is now on Congress to repeal this fundamentally un-American law – and on the President, who can issue a stop-loss order to put an immediate end to discharges under 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.'"

Log Cabin Republicans

"Log Cabin Republicans is disappointed that 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' will continue to burden our armed forces, undermine national security and limit the freedom of our men and women in uniform. Despite this temporary setback, Log Cabin remains confident that we will ultimately prevail on behalf of servicemembers' constitutional rights. In the meantime, we urge President Obama to use his statutory stop-loss power to halt discharges under this discriminatory and wasteful policy."

Human Rights Campaign

"Every day that 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' is in force, Americans are losing out on the best and brightest service members defending our country. For the good of our national security, the endless legal wrangling and political posturing has to stop. This is the year for the President to lead and for Congress to clean up the mess it made when it enacted this discriminatory and unconstitutional law nearly two decades ago.”

Servicemembers United

"It is really unfortunate that the government has tricked the Ninth Circuit into believing that 'enormous consequences,' 'immediate harm,' and 'irreparable injury' will result from a continuation of the injunction," said Alexander Nicholson, Executive Director of Servicemembers United and the only named veteran plaintiff in the case. "By the government's own admission elsewhere, none of these predicted consequences or injuries have come to pass while the law has been enjoined, and the Defense Department has even voluntarily created a de facto moratorium on discharges by further increasing the level of discharge authority. It is concerning that the government can so blatantly pull one over on an appeals court, and it is equally frustrating that such a distinguished court would allow itself to be fooled so obviously and so publicly in the name of 'deference.' Abdication is more like it."

More reactions will be added to this post as they arrive.

Log Cabin Republicans File Brief Requesting Lift Of Stay On DADT Overturn

Read the entire brief here (PDF). Lambda Legal has filed an amicus brief in support of the LCR. And so has Servicemembers United:

“Servicemembers United used the opportunity to submit a ‘Friend of the Court’ brief to advance the argument that our members, our organization, and the American public would be irreparably harmed if the stay is kept in place,” said Alexander Nicholson, Executive Director of Servicemembers United. “Specifically, we argue that many of our members will permanently ‘age out’ of eligibility to enlist, re-enlist, or commission if the stay is not lifted quickly, among other issues.”

Speaking on the Michelangelo Signorile Show, yesterday Rep. Barney Frank called on the Obama administration to drop their appeal.

He said President Obama "hasn't handled this well," and that he's "been disappointed," referring to the "Don't ask, don't tell" debacle. He said he urged the president at a campaign stop in Massachusetts last week not to appeal Judge Virginia Phillips' ruling and injunction ending DADT, arguing that this is a different case than most laws which the administration must defend. Frank believes the president should drop the appeal, especially if Obama does not get a vote in the Senate in the lame duck session of Congress.