Kratovil joins bid to overturn 'don't ask, don't tell'

While it wasn't a strictly party-line vote outside of the Maryland delegation, Frank Kratovil joined his other six Democratic colleagues from the Free State in voting for an amendment to the defense appropriations bill to overturn the Clinton-era 'don't ask, don't tell' policy for gays in the military, with certain conditions.

After the vote, Kratovil released a statement, which said in part:

"At a time when we are engaged in two wars and facing security threats from around the globe, it is both unfair and unwise to deny brave, qualified Americans the opportunity to serve our country. Many current and former military leaders have clearly stated that the ‘Don't Ask Don't Tell' policy is negatively impacting military readiness by forcing recruiters and commanders to turn away or expel willing volunteers with critical skill sets."

Whether this will affect his standing among the socially conservative First District voters both he and GOP challenger Andy Harris crave for their support remains to be seen, but Frank's vote added to the 7-1 party line vote among Maryland representatives and the 234-194 overall total - 26 other Democrats voted against the amendment.

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