National
GOP letter complicates ‘Don’t Ask’ repeal efforts
All 42 members of GOP caucus penned names to missive
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) is among the signers of a letter vowing to obstruct movement on certain bills before the Senate (Blade photo by Michael Key.)
A recent letter in which the Senate Republican caucus has pledged to obstruct movement on legislation unrelated to government funding or taxes is complicating efforts for “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal.
In the missive, dated Nov. 29, Republicans vow to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) that they’ll vote against cloture for any legislative item until the Senate has “acted to fund the government and we have prevented the tax increase that is currently awaiting all taxpayers.”
“With little time left in this Congressional session, legislative scheduling should be focused on these critical priorities,” the letter states. “While there are other items that might ultimately be worthy of the Senate’s attention, we cannot agree to prioritize any matters above the critical issues of funding the government and preventing a job-killing tax hike.”
The letter is signed by all 42 members of the Republican caucus, including those who are seen as swing votes on moving forward with “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” such as Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine), Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and Scott Brown (R-Mass.). Newly seated Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) is also among the signers.
Capitol Hill observers see the letter as an attempt to derail movement on the DREAM Act, an immigration-related bill, as well as repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Legislation to repeal the military’s gay ban is pending before the Senate as part of the fiscal year 2011 defense authorization bill.
A Democratic aide, who spoke to the Washington Blade on condition of anonymity, said the letter is “very, very bad news” for “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal efforts.
“They’ve essentially said that they’re going to vote against cloture on any bill but the tax bill, so they’ve actually just all drawn the line … on all armed services bills,” the aide said.
Kevin Kelley, a Collins spokesperson, said in a statement that although the Maine senator signed the letter and believes tax cuts and funding for the government “are the top two priorities for the lame duck session,” she still wants to see “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal this year.
“However, she also believes the there is time in December to consider all three issues, including the defense authorization bill, which includes a repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,'” Collins said. “She has made it clear that if the majority leader brings the defense authorization bill to the floor and allows sufficient debate and amendments, she would vote to proceed to that bill.”
In a statement, Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, chided Republicans for not being as committed to the defense authorization bill as they are to taxes.
“The Republican caucus that has expressed strong support for a vote on extending the Bush era tax cuts should be as equally unified in support of a vote in the lame-duck session on the nation’s defense bill, the very bill which provides for our security and the well being of service members who defend us every day,” Sarvis said.
Winnie Stachelberg, senior vice president for external affairs at the Center for American Progress, said the letter underscores Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has a “sole focus on obstruction” and wants to make President Obama a one-term president.
“Rather than dealing with the myriad of issues that face this country, he’s made clear what his route is,” Stachelberg said.
Stachelberg also noted a recent report from the Washington Post’s Greg Sargeant quoting a Collins spokesperson as saying even though the senator signed the letter, she would be open to voting for a motion to proceed on the defense authorization bill.
Additionally, Stachelberg said she’s had conversations with people on Capitol Hill suggesting Collins, Sen. Richard Lugar and Sen. Lisa Murkowski would be open to voting to moving forward on the defense legislation.
“They actually maintain that while the focus should be on taxes and the economy, that they believe, too, that other issues should be considered as well,” Stachelberg said.
One gay GOP organization was sympathetic to the goals of the letter. R. Clarke Cooper, executive director of the National Log Cabin Republicans, said Congress must push forward with tax legislation “to avoid punitive tax increases come 2011,” but said the Senate can take action on taxes as well as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” before the year’s end.
“Further, while time is limited, the Congress can complete action on taxes as well as a [‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’] repeal inclusive [defense authorization bill],” Cooper said.
Download a copy of the letter here.
Federal Government
UPenn erases Lia Thomas’s records as part of settlement with White House
University agreed to ban trans women from women’s sports teams
In a settlement with the Trump-Vance administration announced on Tuesday, the University of Pennsylvania will ban transgender athletes from competing and erase swimming records set by transgender former student Lia Thomas.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights found the university in violation of Title IX, the federal rights law barring sex based discrimination in educational institutions, by “permitting males to compete in women’s intercollegiate athletics and to occupy women-only intimate facilities.”
The statement issued by University of Pennsylvania President J. Larry Jameson highlighted how the law’s interpretation was changed substantially under President Donald Trump’s second term.
“The Department of Education OCR investigated the participation of one transgender athlete on the women’s swimming team three years ago, during the 2021-2022 swim season,” he wrote. “At that time, Penn was in compliance with NCAA eligibility rules and Title IX as then interpreted.”
Jameson continued, “Penn has always followed — and continues to follow — Title IX and the applicable policy of the NCAA regarding transgender athletes. NCAA eligibility rules changed in February 2025 with Executive Orders 14168 and 14201 and Penn will continue to adhere to these new rules.”
Writing that “we acknowledge that some student-athletes were disadvantaged by these rules” in place while Thomas was allowed to compete, the university president added, “We recognize this and will apologize to those who experienced a competitive disadvantage or experienced anxiety because of the policies in effect at the time.”
“Today’s resolution agreement with UPenn is yet another example of the Trump effect in action,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement. “Thanks to the leadership of President Trump, UPenn has agreed both to apologize for its past Title IX violations and to ensure that women’s sports are protected at the university for future generations of female athletes.”
Under former President Joe Biden, the department’s Office of Civil Rights sought to protect against anti-LGBTQ discrimination in education, bringing investigations and enforcement actions in cases where school officials might, for example, require trans students to use restrooms and facilities consistent with their birth sex or fail to respond to peer harassment over their gender identity.
Much of the legal reasoning behind the Biden-Harris administration’s positions extended from the 2020 U.S. Supreme Court case Bostock v. Clayton County, which found that sex-based discrimination includes that which is based on sexual orientation or gender identity under Title VII rules covering employment practices.
The Trump-Vance administration last week put the state of California on notice that its trans athlete policies were, or once were, in violation of Title IX, which comes amid the ongoing battle with Maine over the same issue.
New York
Two teens shot steps from Stonewall Inn after NYC Pride parade
One of the victims remains in critical condition
On Sunday night, following the annual NYC Pride March, two girls were shot in Sheridan Square, feet away from the historic Stonewall Inn.
According to an NYPD report, the two girls, aged 16 and 17, were shot around 10:15 p.m. as Pride festivities began to wind down. The 16-year-old was struck in the head and, according to police sources, is said to be in critical condition, while the 17-year-old was said to be in stable condition.
The Washington Blade confirmed with the NYPD the details from the police reports and learned no arrests had been made as of noon Monday.
The shooting took place in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, mere feet away from the most famous gay bar in the city — if not the world — the Stonewall Inn. Earlier that day, hundreds of thousands of people marched down Christopher Street to celebrate 55 years of LGBTQ people standing up for their rights.
In June 1969, after police raided the Stonewall Inn, members of the LGBTQ community pushed back, sparking what became known as the Stonewall riots. Over the course of two days, LGBTQ New Yorkers protested the discriminatory policing of queer spaces across the city and mobilized to speak out — and throw bottles if need be — at officers attempting to suppress their existence.
The following year, LGBTQ people returned to the Stonewall Inn and marched through the same streets where queer New Yorkers had been arrested, marking the first “Gay Pride March” in history and declaring that LGBTQ people were not going anywhere.
New York State Assemblywoman Deborah Glick, whose district includes Greenwich Village, took to social media to comment on the shooting.
“After decades of peaceful Pride celebrations — this year gun fire and two people shot near the Stonewall Inn is a reminder that gun violence is everywhere,” the lesbian lawmaker said on X. “Guns are a problem despite the NRA BS.”
New York
Zohran Mamdani participates in NYC Pride parade
Mayoral candidate has detailed LGBTQ rights platform
Zohran Mamdani, the candidate for mayor of New York City who pulled a surprise victory in the primary contest last week, walked in the city’s Pride parade on Sunday.
The Democratic Socialist and New York State Assembly member published photos on social media with New York Attorney General Letitia James, telling followers it was “a joy to march in NYC Pride with the people’s champ” and to “see so many friends on this gorgeous day.”
“Happy Pride NYC,” he wrote, adding a rainbow emoji.
Mamdani’s platform includes a detailed plan for LGBTQ people who “across the United States are facing an increasingly hostile political environment.”
His campaign website explains: “New York City must be a refuge for LGBTQIA+ people, but private institutions in our own city have already started capitulating to Trump’s assault on trans rights.
“Meanwhile, the cost of living crisis confronting working class people across the city hits the LGBTQIA+ community particularly hard, with higher rates of unemployment and homelessness than the rest of the city.”
“The Mamdani administration will protect LGBTQIA+ New Yorkers by expanding and protecting gender-affirming care citywide, making NYC an LGBTQIA+ sanctuary city, and creating the Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs.”
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