Appeals Court Allows "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" To Continue

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: (202) 675-2312; media@dcaclu.org

NEW YORK – A federal appeals court today agreed to temporarily block a district court’s order enjoining the military’s discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) sought an emergency order from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to block U. S. District Court Judge Virginia Phillips’ injunction of the policy after Judge Phillips denied the DOJ’s request for a stay of that order on Tuesday.

The following can be attributed to James Esseks, Director of the American Civil Liberties Union Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Project:

“We are disappointed that the appeals court has allowed this unconstitutional and discriminatory policy to continue for even one more day, despite the district court’s order to stop enforcement. ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ has compromised the effectiveness of our military for far too long. We urge the DOJ to drop its efforts to appeal, and to let stand Judge Phillips’ order banning the policy.”