Charlie Morgan, John Boehner Staffer To Meet To Discuss DOMA Repeal

WASHINGTON -- The lesbian National Guardsman whose fruitless effort to secure an audience with someone in Speaker of the House John Boehner's office was first reported by The Huffington Post Wednesday will meet with one of his policy advisers next week.

The meeting between Chief Warrant Officer 2 Charlie Morgan and Katherine Haley, who focuses on social policy, education and labor in the Speaker's office, is set for Thursday, Feb. 9, on Capitol Hill.

Morgan, who is battling Stage IV breast cancer, had tried unsuccessfully for weeks to get a meeting to make her case for the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, which bars her wife, Karen, from receiving military and other benefits such as Social Security survivor stipends. Only after HuffPost contacted Boehner's office for comment did it clear a slot on Haley's schedule.

Morgan lives in New Hampshire with Karen and their daughter, Casey Elena, 4. She will travel to Washington alone for the meeting.

"She looks forward to sharing her story and speaking for her own family, and in doing so, for countless others harmed by these unjust laws," said Zeke Stokes, a spokesman for the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. The group has filed a lawsuit on behalf of Morgan and seven others to overturn DOMA.

On Thursday, the Human Rights Campaign and Freedom to Marry announced a new coalition of more than 50 groups that support the Respect for Marriage Act, which would repeal DOMA and require the federal government to recognize any legally sanctioned marriage. The measure has 136 co-sponsors in the House and 32 in the Senate.

Related on HuffPost:

Comments

[outdotxxx]

07:59 PM on 02/04/2012

Thank you SLDN. Thanks to DOMA legally married same-sex military spouses are denied health insurance, commissary, housing allowance and other base privileges as compared to their opposite-sex married counterparts. For those interested - http://OUTmilitary.com has been providing a supportive environment for friending, sharing and networking between Gay active military, vets and supporters since December, 2010.

[lrobb]

09:13 PM on 02/02/2012

Legally CWO Morgan can solve all her problems by adopting her wife, Karen, as her daughter. Obviously this is not the optimal ideological solution, but it does legally accomplish what needs to be done.

If that solution is so distasteful it could not be considered, Morgan should insure her child's status as a beneficiary by whatever current legal process is available. That involves a will which names Karen and Casey as her sole heirs. If the Chief and her partner own property, the deed should specify the title is held jointly with right of survivorship.

In addition, the Chief should have a durable power of attorney including a health care power which specifies Karen as her Attorney in Fact.

You don't need to change current law to make sure your wishes, whatever your sexual orientation, are respected.

[Erin84]

01:40 AM on 02/03/2012

Funny you don't ask heterosexuals to jump through all of those hoops and spend all of that money on lawyers only to be covered on some of the things a marriage license covers. Enough excuses for discrimination. That is all it is.

[LoyalBob]

07:22 AM on 02/03/2012

Why the heck should she have to hire lawyers to do what one marriage certificate would accomplish? This is nothing but more bull from the religious right's ignorant vault of thinking.

End DOMA. Allow ALL loving couples the same rights.

[VagabondBull]

06:31 PM on 02/02/2012

Boehner doesn't even have the decency or guts to meet with this woman face to face. How much more of a rat can this man be when he can't even find time in his busy schedule of screwing up the country to meet with a dying woman. If he wants to "defend marriage" then ban divorce so people like Gingrich can't keep increasing the divorce rate.

Chief Warrant Officer Morgan has served this country for almost 2 decades. She has risked her life in the defense of this country. She and her family deserve the same rights afforded to every other American soldier.

Come on Boehner, grow a pair and meet with her yourself. Tell her to her face that she and her family don't matter to you. Tell her to her face that you will let her wife and child suffer should she lose her battle with cancer.

[Celt Glen]

08:32 PM on 02/02/2012

maybe he just hates women

[Raiderthree]

04:46 PM on 02/02/2012

All you people on here screaming about this law and blaming the GOP have no clue that it was signed into law by your faved womanizer Bill Clinton?

[JoyC124]

05:47 PM on 02/02/2012

Yes it was, good point....he should have left it for Bush to do.

[krcunni]

07:48 PM on 02/02/2012

Of course we all know that Bill Clinton signed it. He wasn't happy about it then and he certainly isn't proud of it today.

[sak]

04:34 PM on 02/02/2012

DOMA is an ugly ugly piece of legislation. Jesus would not have like it. This is a perfect example of how it affects citizens of this country, even those who have risked life and limb for the rest of us. Keep in mind that it was not long ago when military spouses did not receive benefits either.

[Americanwoman55]

04:34 PM on 02/02/2012

I am a mormon and today I am resigning from the church I no longer want anything to do with an organization that backs this type of hate. I am done. No God does this no God hates his children like this.

[SofaKingKool]

09:39 PM on 02/02/2012

Congratulations!

[LoyalBob]

07:25 AM on 02/03/2012

Good for you. You will be much happier as a free thinker and be able to love others without the dogmatic parameters of organized religion. Congrats!

[JaneB3]

04:32 PM on 02/02/2012

Boehner must be squirming.

[Celt Glen]

08:33 PM on 02/02/2012

Not a chance he has zero feelings except to cry when it wins him votes

[JaneB3]

10:52 PM on 02/02/2012

That's why Cry Baby Boehner pawned the meeting off to one of his staff. Also gives him tanning time for a slow burn.

[lijebailey]

04:28 PM on 02/02/2012

He's probably afraid to meet with her for fear that he'd start crying in front of her. How embarrassing would that be?

[xenas mom]

05:14 PM on 02/04/2012

He's probably more afraid that he wouldn't be able to muster a single tear.

[MountRose]

04:27 PM on 02/02/2012

Why a staffer? Is Boner afraid to meet with her face to face? My goodness, he may "catch the gay" or something if he does. This way, anything said can be denied by him directly and put on to his surrogate. This sets well with his ilk both politically and visually. I'd love to see Boner start sporting a PFLAG pin!

[mm3264]

04:18 PM on 02/02/2012

Boehner would rather see her die a painful death than to receive benefits. The Republican party has a history of voting against veteran benefits

[BLMer]

04:14 PM on 02/02/2012

Boehner can't give this soldier dying of cancer the courtesy of a audience? He's so full of himslef! John you can be replaced.

[riverhouse]

04:10 PM on 02/02/2012

It clearly is discrimination against gays and lesbians and it needs to be put right. Any of Newt's many wives who were married to him for 10 years can draw social security benefits on his earnings record. I know at least two of those wives, including the current one, can have their social security checks based on Newt's earnings if it affords them a bigger check. It's clearly federal discrimination and it should not exist.

[frant52]

04:06 PM on 02/02/2012

I give her a lot of credit for making the effort. You have to believe that at some point, one of these people will show some heart.
I also wish Ms Morgan luck in her battle against breast cancer. I'm approaching 11 years as a survivor and wish has many healthy years ahead to raise her daughter with Karen.

[DocJoseph]

04:03 PM on 02/02/2012

"The measure has 136 co-sponsors in the House and 32 in the Senate."

Party affiliation? (or should I even ask...?)

[larmarch5]

04:01 PM on 02/02/2012

I wonder if she'll shake her finger in his face.