Public Advocate Legal Staff Back Delegate Bob Marshall To Protect Virginia National Guard

Following last month's Senate vote to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell, Virginia Delegate Bob Marshall has vowed to keep fighting to keep Virginia's armed forces free of openly homosexual advocates pushing their agenda.

Marshall introduced House Bill 2474, that would keep in force the current "don't ask, don't tell" policy in the Virginia National Guard.

AG Cuccinelli did agree "The Virginia National Guard could still exclude gays from service once federal regulations repealing the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy are issued."

"This policy will weaken military recruitment and retention, and will increase pressure for a military draft,'' Marshall said. "After 232 years of prohibiting active, open homosexuals from enlisting in our military, President Obama and a majority in Congress are conducting a social experiment with our troops and our national security . . .In countries where religions and cultures find homosexual acts immoral, the Obama administration's repeal policy will work to the detriment of all American troops in securing local cooperation with our nation's foreign policy goals."

. . . Marshall, who is considering running for U.S. Senate in 2012, is one of the House's most conservative members. He said Article 1, Section 8, Clause 16 of the Constitution gives Virginia the authority to uphold the ban by "reserving to the states respectively, the appointment of the officers, and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress."

In recent days, the debate in the Virginia House of Delegates is intense and Public Advocate attorney Herb Titus is in the hearing room and providing testimony in support of Delegate Bob Marshall's legislation.