SAN FRANCISCO — A group of House Democrats behind an effort to repeal the federal Defense of Marriage Act on Monday took a swing at the lawyer hired to defend the act in court.

Since the Bipartisan House Legal Advisory Group, or BLAG, “purports to represent the interests of the entire House,” the six Democrats say they are entitled to a briefing by Bancroft lawyer Paul Clement, a letter to Speaker of the House John Boehner says.