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Senator Saxby Chambliss (Ga.-R) announced today that his office has removed a staffer over a malicious blog comment posted on gay-oriented blog Joe.My.God.
The Senator released a statement condemning the post while saying he called Joe Jarvis, operator of the blog, to personally apologize.
"I have called Mr. Jervis, the blog’s author, and apologized to him personally, and I am sorry for the hurt this incident has caused," the statement read. "Regardless of one’s position on issues and policies, such comments are simply unacceptable, are not befitting those who work in the U.S. Senate, and I will not tolerate them from my staff."
The Queer Justice League met with the staff of Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) this afternoon to deliver a letter in response to a malicious comment posted on the gay-oriented blog Joe.My.God. The post came moments after the U.S. Senate failed to move forward on a defense bill that included repeal language for “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
The commenter, who identified himself as “Jimmy,” wrote “All faggots must die” shortly after the vote.
Chambliss voted against the cloture measure, which postponed Congressional DADT action indefinitely.
Some 10 members of the QJL met at 4 p.m. at the senator’s offices, located off Galleria Parkway in Cobb County, to deliver the letter. They met with Camila Knowles, State Director and General Counsel for Chambliss and called the meeting “cordial.”
The Queer Justice League will host a meeting Monday, Sept. 27, to discuss how best to respond to a comment allegedly left on gay blog Joe.My.God. by a staff member in the office of Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) in the aftermath of the senate's vote on the 2011 Defense Authorization bill.
The comment read “All faggots must die” and came from Chambliss’ Atlanta office. It was signed by “Jimmy.”
The meeting will take place at Blake’s on the Park from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) admitted yesterday that a malicious and threatening comment left on gay blog Joe.My.God came from within his Atlanta office.
Georgia Equality sent a message to its supporters via Facebook asking them to “remind” Sen. Chambliss that he represents all Georgians.
Atlanta attorney Jeff Cleghorn was interviewed by Fox 5's Paul Yates regarding yesterday's Senate vote on the Defense Authorization bill that included an amendment that would have allowed President Barack Obama to repeal the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy after the completion of a Pentagon review. Cleghorn also discussed Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss and the accusations someone from his staff posted a threatening comment on gay-blog Joe.My.God.
Two national gay GOP groups, Log Cabin Republicans and GOProud, both blamed Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) for today’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” failure.
The Senate voted today on whether to move forward with the 2011 Defense Authorization bill which included language that would have allowed President Barack Obama to repeal DADT after the completion of a Pentagon study on the military’s gay ban.
The Senate Tuesday afternoon rejected a motion to break a Republican-led filibuster against an annual defense spending bill that includes language aimed at ending the military’s "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" law banning out gays. The vote was 56 to 43.
The vote was uncertain all the way up to the vote, started at 2:30 eastern time, as Democratic leaders were reportedly trying to negotiate an agreement with one or two senators to reach the 60 votes they needed to proceed. But Republicans stood united in their contention that a procedural restriction placed on consideration of the annual defense spending bill was politically motivated to win the votes of LGBT people and Latinos for the mid-term elections in November.
The United States Senate was unable to move forward with the 2011 Defense Authorization bill that included an amendment that would have allowed President Barack Obama to repeal the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy after the completion of a Pentagon review. There were 56 votes to bring the bill to the floor and 43 votes against. 60 votes were required.
The failure to bring the bill to the full Senate is a defeat, albeit temporary, for those advocating the repeal of DADT.
Republicans, led by Arizona Senator John McCain, argued that the majority was trying to include non-relevant amendments to the legislation and accused Democrats of using the Defense Authorization bill to push through a liberal social agenda.
Pop singer Lady Gaga is pushing hard to bring attention to the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.
Within the last week, Gaga took several former members of the military who were discharged, or resigned, because of DADT to the MTV Music Video Awards. The singer has also taken to Twitter to discuss the policy with politicians like Senators Harry Reid and Kirsten Gillibrand and yesterday put together an impassioned video on YouTube calling on the Senate to address the issue.
Barely two weeks after a federal judge ruled the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy unconstitutional, the U.S. Senate is expected to vote on repealing the ban on openly gay service members.
At press time, the Senate was expected to vote during the week of Sept. 20 on the National Defense Authorization Act, which includes an amendment repealing DADT.
The U.S. House approved in May a defense authorization bill that includes an amendment on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” although it delays repeal until after a Pentagon study on gays in the military is completed and military leaders determine repeal will not hurt troop readiness.