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Gingrich affirms 'don't ask, don't tell' for gays in military
Congress not likely to change current policy
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — In a second apparent shift on gays in the military, House Speaker New York Gingrich said yesterday that Congress likely would leave the current don't ask, don't tell policy in place if it survived court scrutiny.
Gingrich said the Republican Congress would return to a stricter policy only if the Clinton administration regulations were judged unconstitutional by federal appeals courts and, possibly, the Supreme Court.
Speaking on "CBS This Morning" yesterday, Gingrich said that there would not be much legislative action if the Clinton policy remained in place after court review.
On an interview show Sunday, Gingrich said, "I expect Congress to take up that issue. We're going to probably go back to the rules that existed prior to President Clinton changing them."
Gingrich asserted yesterday that he wasn't changing positions. When asked what would happen if higher courts upheld a federal judge's ruling that the don't ask, don't tell policy was unconstitutional, he said he had made his comments Sunday on ABC's "This Week With David Brinkley."
In fact, the question by conservative columnist George Will mentioned the court decision but did not ask what Congress might do if higher courts upheld it. Instead, Will noted that the policy was put in place by a Democratic president and a Democratic Congress and asked, "Do you expect this Congress to take up that issue?"
Gingrich's response Sunday did not mention the court decision or whether it would be upheld.
Prior to the Clinton presidency, military recruits routinely were asked about their sexual preference and any recruit, enlistee or officer who declared homosexuality was immediately discharged. Under the new policy, recruits are not asked about their sexual preference. Homosexuals may remain in the service as long as they keep their status private and obey all codes of conduct.
Yesterday's comment by Gingrich drew more criticism from opponents of policies that restrict gays in the military.
"He appears to be backtracking," said Rep. Martin Meehan, D-Mass., a member of the House National Security Committee. "He's going sideways and backwards to get out of it."
Gingrich also said that his 1993 vote for the don't ask, don't tell policy was cast reluctantly.
"It was a policy that I thought was the best you could negotiate with
an amendment by Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., that would have allowed the military to resume their practice of asking recruits about their sexual preference.
In two letters to a constituent in Georgia in 1992, Gingrich said, "Homosexuals are entitled to the same rights as all Americans." He also said that what went on in the bedroom was private, and the government should not be in the business of being bedroom police.
Rep. Gerry Studds, D-Mass., one of three House members who has said he was homosexual, said Gingrich was trying to score political points with the conservative wing of the Republican Party instead of
"I expect Congress to take up that issue ... We're going to probably go back to the rules that existed prior to President Clinton changing them."
Newt Gingrich Speaker of the House
the president," Gingrich said.
Noting that Sen. Sam Nunn, D-Ga, then chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, had crafted the compromise, Gingrich said, "I think it was one that we're not going to go out and try to change if the court overrules the district judge's decision."
In 1993, Gingrich not only voted for the policy that the Pentagon now follows, he strongly opposed
making a serious legislative proposal.
making a serious legislative proposal.
Studdus said that if the don't ask, don't tell policy was unconstitutional, the old policy was unconstitutional, also. "It doesn't make any sense at all unless one views it as what it is, which is sheer demagogery," he said.
Gingrich's assertion Sunday that the House would
issue drew a chily response even from Republican lawmakers who head military oversight committees. Both Rep. Floyd Spence, R.S.C., chairman of the House National Security Committee, and Sen. Strom Thurmond, R-S.C., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said they had no immediate plans to reexamine the Clinton policy on gays in the military.
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