Law Firm Drops DOMA Appeal

King and Spaulding, the prestigious Atlanta law firm, has filed a motion to withdraw from its involvement in defending legal challenges to the so-called Defense of Marriage act.  The GOP-controlled House had hired King and Spaulding attorney and former US Solicitor General Paul Clement to defend the unconstitutional law after the Obama Justice Department announced that it would no longer do so.  Firm chairman Robert Hays, Jr. made the announcement today.  Clement announced his resignation from the firm and accused it of abandoning a client "in the face of hostile criticism."  King and Spaulding had enjoyed a 100% rating from HRC, which planned a press conference for later today.    

Sullivan on Solomnese

Andrew Sullivan was less than pleased with HRC head Joe Solomnese's email blast urging everyone to withhold judgment on President Obama until 2017. Watch:



My comment is here.

Joe Solomnese's response to the uproar over his 2017 email is here.

Obama Speaks to HRC

President Obama spoke at the HRC dinner tonight, on the eve of the march on Washington. I listened to it on Sirius OutQ. Frankly, I didn't hear anything that I haven't heard before. There was no exciting news, no big surprise. I would have loved to have heard strong statements on the ballot initiatives in Maine and Washington, but he said nothing. He reasserted his commitment to repealing DA/DT and DOMA, but gave no details on how or when that might happen. Disappointing.

''We should not be punishing patriotic Americans who have stepped forward to serve the country,'' Obama said. ''We should be celebrating their willingness to step forward and show such courage ... especially when we are fighting two wars.''

So do something about it. You have the power. Whenever someone says Obama is too busy and will get to DA/DT at the appropriate time, I think of the gay service men and women serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. Imagine the stress they are under. Obama doesn't have it so bad, does he?