Gibbs takes a swipe at DOJ over 'odd' use of 17-year old Powell testimony in DADT brief

If there's one thing we know for sure, it's that any time a gay-related question is asked at the White House briefing, Robert Gibbs will give a confusing answer. But, every now and then, his answers are actually good for the pro-equality side. Today, in response to a question from Kerry Eleveld asking if DOJ was "tone deaf," Gibbs took a swipe at the Department of Justice's recent brief defending Don't Ask, Don't Tell (we first reported on that brief here.)

Gibbs found it "odd" that DOJ used the old testimony of Colin Powell and thought Obama would think that, too:

The Advocate: So obviously there’s a number of cases sort of wending their way through the courts right now challenging DOMA and “don’t ask, don’t tell.” Last week the Department of Justice filed another brief defending “don’t ask, don’t tell.” It angered a lot of advocates; some legal scholars thought it was a step backwards in terms of dismantling the law. Is the President at all concerned that DOJ is a little insular or tone deaf on issues that are sort of politically sticky, especially those of interest to the LGBT community?

GIBBS: I will say this, obviously the President has enunciated his support for ending “don’t ask, don’t tell,” rolling back -- made a commitment to roll back DOMA in the campaign. Obviously, the Justice Department has -- is charged with upholding the law as it exists, not as the President would like to see it. We have obviously taken steps on the front of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” and I think we’ve made a genuine amount of progress. I will say, was it odd that they included previous statements from General Colin Powell on a belief set that he no longer had? I don’t think the President would disagree with that.

Um, the DOJ is an Executive Branch department. The guy who signed the DADT brief (and the DOMA brief) Assistant Attorney General Tony West is a political appointee. Didn't anyone learn anything from that DOMA brief debacle last June?

Last week's DADT brief was another DOJ disaster. The brief, especially the use of Powell's testimony, has been heavily criticized, including a hit from Rachel Maddow.

There was a follow-up question from Kerry with an answer that wasn't helpful -- and was a little hard to believe:

The Advocate: Does the President think it’s constitutional, “don’t ask, don’t tell?”

GIBBS: I have not heard him talk about that.

Wait, Robert, you have not heard him talk about that? Funny how the NY Times heard in January that the President didn't want to defend DADT before the Supreme Court:

But it was in Oval Office strategy sessions to review court cases challenging the ban — ones that could reach the Supreme Court — that Mr. Obama faced the fact that if he did not change the policy, his administration would be forced to defend publicly the constitutionality of a law he had long opposed.

It's hard to fathom how a former constitutional law professor wouldn't have at least broached the subject of DADT's constitutionality in a discussion about "court cases challenging the ban." I guess Robert Gibbs missed that meeting or didn't see it in a minor publication like the NY Times.

Think Progress got the video of the first part:
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88 marriages in first month in Mexico City

And the locusts have not arrived. Read More...

Maine Gov. Baldacci hosting fundraiser for pro-gay organization defunded by Catholic Bishop

Two weeks ago, we learned that the Bishop of Maine, Richard Malone, stopped funding Homeless Voices for Justice, because the group's parent organization, Preble Street, opposed the repeal of Maine's same-sex marriage law. Bishop Malone led the repeal campaign, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on it while simultaneously shutting down parishes in the state. Like most Catholic leaders, Malone is driven by homophobia.

There's been an outpouring of support for Preble Street since the Bishop's announcement. Today, my sister, Karen, informed me that the Governor, John Baldacci, is hosting a fundraiser for Preble Street. Karen told me it was the Governor's idea to host the fundraiser. He wanted to do it. The Governor, who is Catholic, signed the marriage equality legislation last year -- and campaigned hard to prevent its repeal.

Here's the invite:

I got a thank you note for my contribution to Preble Street from Mark Swann, the Executive Director of Preble Street, which included this passage:

The Catholic Church declares,

"Poor and vulnerable people have a special place in Catholic social teaching. A basic moral test of a society is how its most vulnerable members are faring...Our tradition calls us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first."

It is clear that with this decision to withdraw funding to Homeless Voices for Justice the institution has failed its obligations.

The Catholic Church has failed its obligations in so many ways.

I have to give a shout out to the Governor for showing the Catholic Church what it means to live and act in the Catholic tradition of putting the needs of the poor and vulnerable first.

Contributions to Preble Street may be made here. You get to write a note about why you're making the gift. Read More...

VIDEO: My sassy gay friend, Romeo & Juliet

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CNN's Kyra Phillips asked: 'Homosexuality: Is it a problem in need of a cure?'

I watched this jaw-dropping segment on CNN this morning. It was shocking as Andy Towle reported:

CNN's Kyra Phillips just ran a repulsive and shockingly irresponsible segment on Lowenthal's efforts in which she asked, "Homosexuality: Is it a problem in need of a cure?"

She then brought on crackpot "ex-gay" Richard Cohen, spewing lies about how people can change their sexuality and become straight, with nobody to rebut his disproven arguments. (You may remember when Rachel Maddow ripped Cohen to shreds over Uganda).

From CNN's blog: "At 10:40 we’ll talk with the State Assemblywoman who’s heading up the repeal effort. We’ll also talke (sic) with a leading expert on sexual reorientation, who was gay but is now married to a woman and has 3 kids."

Major fail for CNN.

Kyra Phillips and her boss, Jonathan Klein, owe us an apology.

UPDATED: Andy Towle posted the video. I hope Anderson Cooper takes a few minutes to watch this bizarre display:
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Mississippi bigots hold fake prom to trick lesbian high school student into not attending real prom

It's interesting that several kids with disabilities also attended the fake prom. If kids with disabilities were tricked out of going to the real prom, that might just be a federal civil rights violation. What they did to Constance, the lesbian student, is simply despicable. You'd never guess that Mississippi was once a slave state. Read More...

In Oklahoma, 'Hate Crimes Opt Out' bill killed in House committee

I personally went to the State Capitol on March 31st to lobby against this bill with The Equality Network. It is shameful it ever even got this far. Oklahoma has a long way to go to move away from the extremism that gave birth to this bill. Those of us LGBT citizens, and our allies, who are politically active in Oklahoma, do so with the idea if we can fight to change things positively here, in very conservative Oklahoma, then the fruits of our efforts will ripple across the nation.

Under the new language, if local law enforcement objected to turning information over to the federal government in a hate-crimes investigation, federal authorities would have to file a petition in court showing good cause why they needed the information, Russell said.

If local law enforcement didn’t object to turning over the information, court approval would not be needed, Russell said.

Russell said the law is needed to protect free speech after the passage of a federal law that added sexual orientation or gender identity to the categories protected under the federal hate-crimes law. President Barack Obama signed the law in October.

Representative Russell, and his friends, never stop therefore we can not afford to put our heads in the sand and go to sleep. Like Russell said, “In my view, this is not the end of it. We need protections in state law.” No, it is never "the end of it" with those types. They never stop. Therefore, neither can we. Read More...

GetEQUAL's DC ENDA protesters to be arraigned today

On March 18, GetEQUAL protesters held bi-coastal protests in the offices of Speaker Nancy Pelosi to protest the lack of action on ENDA. Today, the DC protesters are being arraigned at 10 a.m. From the GetEQUAL press release:

ENDA legislation has been stuck in the House Committee on Education and Labor since last year and another promise that it would be brought to the House floor for a vote in March did not happen.

"As Congress returns from recess they have an opportunity to pass what the LGBT community has been fighting for 40 years: basic workplace protections. Every American has the right to a secure working environment," said Jay Carmona, one of the four arrested. "A person¹s gender identity or sexual orientation does not affect their ability to do the same work others do. They should be protected from discrimination and there jobs should be secure."

GetEQUAL is determined to continue fighting for this bill and intends to use non-violent civil disobedience and people powered actions to bring attention to the injustice. In over 50 percent of states LGBT people can be fired simply for who they are, according to leaders of the new online LGBTQ activist community. It will target its further actions on the Committee that is overseeing the legislation, the House that has already been stated to have the votes to pass it and finally, the Senate who can help make job protection a reality for millions of Americans.

"As our community continues to receive conflicting messages about how and when the Employment Non-Discrimination Act will be brought to the House floor for a vote, the LGBT community has workers without job security and families afraid of potential loss of income if their orientation is revealed," said McGehee. "The time to pass ENDA is now."

"These women face arraignment tomorrow while Speaker Pelosi has still not made a commitment to make employment non-discrimination a reality," said Williams. "This from a woman who serves a constituency base that expects nothing less than her full commitment to speak for equality."

In addition to Carmona, the other members of the "ENDA 4" scheduled for arraignment tomorrow are Samantha Ames (from Washington, DC), Chas Kirven (from Dallas, TX) and Michelle Wright (from Fresno, CA).

GetEQUAL will be livetweeting from the Courthouse (but not the court room.) Read More...