Lawyers for the Justice Department have asked a federal appeals court to halt indefinitely any future action in the Log Cabin Republicans’ legal challenge to Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in light of last month’s legislative repeal of the ban on military service by open gays.
President Obama on Dec. 22 signed repeal into law. In a motion filed on Dec. 29 with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, the Justice Department said repeal would take effect 60 days after Obama, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen certify that repeal would not harm military readiness, effectiveness or unit cohesion.
