LGBT groups raise stakes in Chuck Hagel nomination

Despite the enthusiastic support of California gay activist Rick Jacobs, the Chuck Hagel nomination for Defense Secretary is getting more flack from LGBT groups Tuesday. On Monday, Jacobs called out the Log Cabin Republicans, saying the group’s hypocrisy on Hagel (after supporting Romney) is worthy of The Onion.

A sleeper issue is how Hagel would enforce Section 533(a)(1) of the new National Defense Authorization Act, which requires the military to accommodate the conscience, moral principles, or religious beliefs of all members of the military. Written by Rep. Todd “Legitimate Rape” Akin, R-Mo., the clause worries civil libertarians who worry it could be used to discriminate against gays and lesbians. President Obama singled it out in his signing statement, saying his “administration remains fully committed to continuing the successful implementation of the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and to protecting the rights of gay and lesbian service members; Section 533 will not alter that.”

At a minimum, the consensus among gay groups seems to be to hold Hagel’s feet to the fire in his Senate confirmation hearings. Hagel cannot afford to lose any Democratic votes given the unease with the nomination on the pro-Israel left.

GetEqual came out against the nomination Tuesday, citing Hagel’s 4 percent rating with the Human Rights Campaign. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force demanded Monday that Hagel “fully explain his views during the confirmation process and what steps he intends to take as defense secretary to demonstrate his support for LGBT members of the military…”

Richard Socarides, former President Bill Clinton’s liason to the LGBT community, called Hagel’s comments during the James Hormel nomination fight “discouraging and damaging,” saying, “Hagel’s remarks signaled that the extreme anti-gay right wing was increasing the pressure on Republican senators to oppose the nomination because Hormel was gay, and that moderate Republicans were failing in line.”

That brought this riposte from Andrew Sullivan: “I recall no moment in his career in which Socarides apologized for selling out the gay community in every single possible way in order to stay comfortably ensconced in the Clinton White House.” Like Jacobs, Sullivan said if anyone should be held to account for the wave of anti-gay policies during the 1990′s, it’s Bill Clinton, who actually signed the Defense of Marriage Act and imposed Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, among other things, including the ban on persons with HIV entering the U.S.

Andrew Belkin, director of the pro-gay Palm Center think tank, laid out five things Hagel should promise to do for LGBT troops to demonstrate his new-found commitment, including addressing the issue of transgender troops.

California Sen. Dianne Feinstein supports the nomination; Sen. Barbara Boxer is neutral.

Carolyn Lochhead