Political Scene

HOUSE

Bachmann drops leadership bid

A “tea party” favorite is dropping her bid for a leadership position in the upcoming Republican-controlled House.

Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota said in a statement Wednesday night that she is no longer running for the chairmanship of the Republican House Conference, the party’s No. 4 position when it’s in the majority.

Mrs. Bachmann says she supports Rep. Jeb Hensarling of Texas. Mr. Hensarling has received the support of the current Republican whip, Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia, as well as other top House Republicans.

Mrs. Bachmann hasn’t been able to match the endorsements Mr. Hensarling has received for the post.

The House Republican leadership hierarchy now faces the prospect of being a nearly all-male club. The lone woman in the caucuss inner circle says she “would love to see another woman around the leadership table.”

“I think it is important that the leadership table, that our committee chairmen, that our conference in general reflects America,” Washington Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, vice chairman of the House Republican Conference, said on MSNBC on Wednesday.

“We want to put the best person possible in every position, but I think it’s also helpful to have that diverse perspective around the table. And that’s all taken into consideration as the members make these decisions.”

JUSTICE

Court asked to leave military gay ban alone

The Obama administration urged the Supreme Court Wednesday to keep the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gays in the military in place while a federal appeals court considers the issue.

The administration filed court papers in defense of an appeals court order that allowed “don’t ask, don’t tell” to go back into effect after a federal judge declared it unconstitutional and barred its enforcement. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco is reviewing the administration’s appeal.

Log Cabin Republicans, a gay rights group, has asked the Supreme Court to step into the case to reverse the appeals court decision that has allowed “don’t ask, don’t tell” to remain in effect despite the order by U.S. District Judge Virginia A. Phillips.

Acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal said the high court only rarely intervenes in a dispute at this stage and “this case does not present the sort of exceptional circumstances that would warrant interference with an interim order of the court of appeals.”

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