Judge Virgiina Phillips

'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Ruling: A Headache and an Opportunity for Washington

Congress, the Pentagon and the White House all may intercede in the coming weeks or months to formally end the U.S. military's controversial "Don't ask, don't tell" policy toward gay and lesbian service members. But it won't be without a little pushing from the judiciary as well. A federal trial judge in California guaranteed the tri-branch dynamic Thursday evening when she ruled the beleaguered policy an unconstitutional infringement upon the First and Fifth Amendment rights of soldiers. Nominated to the bench by President Clinton, the same man who endorsed the compromise policy in 1993, ...

Add Comment

SHARE