Pentagon balked on gay partner travel

By PATRICK O'CONNOR & DAVID ROGERS | 4/1/08 4:30 AM EST



Pelosi aides said their boss was simply asking the defense secretary to follow a precedent established by her predecessor. (Jay Premack/Politico)

Prior to the Easter recess, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was forced to intervene with Defense Secretary Robert Gates in order to get Democratic Rep. Tammy Baldwin’s domestic partner on a military flight for a congressional fact-finding trip to Europe.

The speaker succeeded, but the issue continues to simmer for both sides. The Pentagon appears to be self-conscious about transporting gay domestic partners at a time when it continues to enforce a “don’t ask, don’t tellâ€