Sen. Dianne Feinstein Calls Out Rep. Duncan Hunter on DADT

Sen. Feinstein with producer Bruce Cohen at HRC event in 2010 Photo by Karen Ocamb

Conservative California Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter, who succeeded his notoriously antigay father in Congress, is expected to introduce legislation Wednesday to add the four service chiefs to the certification process required for the final repeal of Don’t Don’t, Don’t Tell, according to the Washington Times. A similar measure introduced by Senate Minority Leader failed last month. The repeal of DADT was passed by Congress and signed by President Obama in the lame duck session and therefore the measure has no real chance of passage.  Peter W. Singer, a defense expert with the centrist Brookings Institution, told the Washington Times that Hunter’s move is symbolic. “How long do we want to drag this out?” he said. “One of the lessons we’ve learned from other countries that have gone through this is to make a decision and implement it quickly.”

Nonetheless, as with the House Republican’s effort to repeal healthcare reform, the measure cannot be allowed to stand with no opposition. After all, Hunter was named one of Politico’s “up and comer’s” in 2008 and is expected to make his mark – though oddly, he is not yet touting the backing of Arizona Sen. John McCain who argued for the same requirement.

On Tuesday, Sen. Dianne Feinstein teamed up with the Courage Campaign to distribute an open letter to Californians asking for help in calling out Hunter for his tactics of distraction.

Please click inside to read Sen. Feinstein’s letter with links to how you can help.

Dear Friend:

Last month, I proudly cast my vote to repeal the discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, which I have opposed since it was first introduced in 1993. President Obama signed that bill into law, and it’s now on the path to implementation.

So imagine my disappointment today when I learned California Congressman Duncan Hunter is introducing legislation that would paralyze repeal efforts.

Rep. Hunter knows his legislation has no chance of success. Should it pass the House, it will never be approved by the Senate or signed by the President.

Worse, this effort is a distraction from the real work at hand. California is faced with an unemployment rate of 12.4%, a crushing budget shortfall, alarming health insurance rate hikes, crumbling infrastructure and a broken immigration system. Now is not the time for distractions that have no chance of becoming law.

Will you join me and the Courage Campaign in asking your member of Congress to reject this legislation, and instead focus on real priorities for Californians and the rest of America? http://www.couragecampaign.org/RealPriorities

I was proud to co-sponsor of the bill that repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” last month. As President Obama said upon signing repeal, “This is done.”

He’s right. This issue is settled. It’s time to move on to address what California needs, not look backwards to derail equality.

We need to get our economy moving here in California. As your Senator, I’ve always made that my top priority. Immigration reform, building smart infrastructure like high-speed rail that creates good-paying jobs, and helping small businesses succeed are also at the top of my list.

I think those are priorities that we can all agree upon.

Let’s ask the rest of my colleagues from both parties to come together on this. Join me and the Courage Campaign in calling upon your member of Congress to reject this divisive distraction, and focus on getting California and the rest of our nation moving again. http://www.couragecampaign.org/RealPriorities

The stakes couldn’t be higher — and we don’t have time to waste.

Yours,

Dianne Feinstein

Tagged as: Bruce Cohen, Courage Campaign, Dianne Feinstein, Don't Ask Don't Tell