| Description |
Log Cabin Republicans v. United States, was a case intensely publicized by the media because it carriedsignificant political implications. The Log Cabin Republicans, a political activist group comprised of republicans who support greater rights for homosexuals, brought suit against the United States government on behalf of its members who served in the military and who were subject to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." The law restricted those who were openly homosexual from military service. The Log Cabin Republicans argued before Judge Virginia A. Phillips of the United States District Court for the Central District of California that "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" violated constitutional guarantees of due process and free speech. The Justice Department unsuccessfully sought to have the suit dismissed arguing that as long as congress had a rational basis for passing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," it was constitutional. It also asserted at trial that the Log Cabin Republicans did not have standing to challenge the law.Judge Phillips ruled that the "plaintiff has demonstrated it is entitled to the relief sought on behalf of its members." |
