MILITARY TO INVESTIGATE LEAVE GRANTED TO MISSOURI LAWMAKER WHO CAST DECIDING VOTE ON GUNS

AP Breaking News ^ | 12 September 2003 | Paul Sloca & Robert Burns

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - The U.S. military will investigate whether regulations were violated when a Missouri state senator was granted leave from duty in Cuba so he could return home to cast the deciding vote to override a veto of concealed guns legislation. State Sen. Jon Dolan, a Republican and a major in the Army National Guard, had been serving at Guantanamo Bay for only two weeks, and military regulations say a newly deployed soldier must be on duty at least two months before getting a leave.

Lt. Cmdr. Barbara Burfeind, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said Friday that the matter will be investigated by the U.S. Southern Command in Florida, which oversees Guantanamo Bay, where Dolan is stationed as a public affairs officer. U.S. Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-Mo., sent a letter Friday to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld seeking an investigation into why Dolan was granted a six-day leave to cast his vote Thursday. The override of Democratic Gov. Bob Holden's veto gave most Missourians the right to carry concealed guns.

"I am most concerned about whether Senator Dolan's case establishes a precedent that allows members of the National Guard who have certain political affiliations to be permitted privileges that other members of the National Guard are routinely denied," Clay wrote. Dolan said Friday the push for the investigation was politically motivated. "I did my duty and I would do it again," Dolan said. "If my career ends, that's fine. This is simply political retribution."

Dolan received approval for leave from his boss, Lt. Col. Pamela Hart. Burfeind said his leave was granted on a special exception, which is not uncommon. Burfeind referred other questions about Dolan to Southern Command, which said the issue was being handled by public affairs officials in Guantanamo Bay, who did not immediately return a phone call from The Associated Press. Also at issue is whether Dolan violated federal law and military regulations by performing duties of his political office while on active military duty. The rules apply to a reserve officer serving on active duty under a call to active duty of more than 270 days. Dolan said military lawyers told him before he left Cuba that because he hadn't served 270 days of his tour, the rule didn't apply to him. "My position in that issue remains clear," Dolan said. "I knew about the directive before hand and did not feel it applied in my case."

[Ronin]

Lacy has obviously never served in the military. The man put in his request, got it approved through the chain of command, took his leave, end of story.

Would his chain of command have been justified in turning down his leave request based on that set policy? Sure. But there are always exceptions to policy based on bonafide need -- and the duty of a state senator to represent his constituients is pretty bonafide.

[brydic1]

As a Missourian, I am all to well aware that letter writing or emailing this extreme leftist black radical congressman to change his behavior is laughable. He and his district as a whole are a disgrace to the state. This is the very district that produces the tens of thousands of fraudulent votes that renders the votes of honest Missouri voters null and void.

[xzins]

They should have sent him on permissive (personal) TDY.

It isn't leave, but is permitted for conducting personal business at personal expense.

Chaplains, for example, get permissive TDY to attend necessary church conferences, religious events, etc.

It is designed to accomodate just what this senator was doing....upholding professional obligations that exist even though he is also in the military.

[rface]

thanks for the ping....

[Just another Joe]

I am all to well aware that letter writing or emailing this extreme leftist black radical congressman to change his behavior is laughable.

Yeh, I know, but there are other folks in his district. If the word can get out to them they could make him uncomfortable at the least.

[steplock]

Doesn't this POS look like Hussein's son! Uday? or whats-his-name?

[rface]

And now the dems are trying their best to invalidate an override of a veto of Gov Holden.

there ain't no way that the filthy 'RATS are gonna be able to undo this veto over-ride. Lacy is a maggot tilting at windmills

[DoughtyOne]

Don't worry, next week they'll have a new low lower than low low.

[steplock]

Doesn't this POS look like Hussein's son! Uday? or whats-his-name?

[ChemistCat]

I don't think you could get anyone to bet against you on that.

[brydic1]

Yes, there are some other folks in his district and they would like to get out. They have zero chance of defeating this black racist and were put there so that they would not be in Dickie Gephardt's district and cause his district to be competitive.

[Conservababe]

I think Holden was counting on him not getting back in time and that Gibson (R) would stand firm in his opposition.

Now that it has collasped on his head, he is calling in whatever help he can get, however hopeless.

[Just another Joe]

Yes, there are some other folks in his district and they would like to get out.

I don't doubt that a bit.

[DoughtyOne]

And to think, some dregs on the left actually think Bush is worse than their boys. Now that's sad.

[ch53gunner]

Using a cutting torch to get through the bottom of the barrel.....

[cardinal4]

I live in Clays district. North STL county. Here in Florissant, there is a flag on pretty much every house, Talent stickers on cars and yellow ribbons on the trees. Im not sure that the people in my 'hood would have voted for Clay. I believe he wound up here due to redistricting. Nonetheless, I now have a real LOCAL political purpose; to unseat Clay. Clays stance also has me wondering who put him up to writing the letter..

[Missouri]

I believe he wound up here due to redistricting.

Your exactly right cardinal4. I to live in the Florissant area and we got stuck in Clays 1st district because of Dicky Gephardts gerrymandering which may be a death blow to the Florissant-Hazelwood-Bridgeton area.

Clays Daddy was the Congressman for the 1st District before Jr. took over and look what he did for for North St. Louis and North St. Louis country. I hate to say it but I believe that Clay is undefeatable.

[taxcontrol]

To be honest, I'm of the opinion that both US and State Senators and Representatives should be automaticly exempted from call up.

The military answers to civil authority. By serving as legislators, they are answering a higher calling.

[Missouri]

now have a real LOCAL political purpose; to unseat Clay.

Don't worry about me. I'll never vote for him.

[Timesink]

This Senator was given special treatment that the poor grunt wouldn't see if his or her life depended on it.

No, he was not. The state senator could ONLY cast his vote by being in the Senate chamber at the time of the vote; there is no such thing as "absentee ballots" for lawmakers. They are completely separate issues.

What happened to your GOP grunts was a Democratic Party-coordinated crime intended to interfere with your grunts' rights, but procedures are, technically, in place to allow military personnel to vote without having to be granted leave. The senator, however, had NO CHOICE but to return to the Senate itself in order to perform his duties.

(However, I personally would absolutely have granted leave, and made the taxpayer pay the full cost, of sending home those grunts so that they could have voted, just to spite the RATS and call attention to their crimes.)