Obama Gets Subpeona From Gay Protesters

Gay soldiers arrested for chaining themselves to the White House fence in April to protest Don't Ask, Don't Tell have issued a subpoena to Barack Obama to testify in their trial. Charged with some minor civil disobedience offenses, the soldiers are arguing that they were just following orders—in this case, Obama's orders, since he asked gay rights advocates to put pressure on him, writes Ben Smith at his Politico blog.

“The subpoena of the President is necessary for the defense to prove that Defendants were following and obeying lawful orders or directives by their President and Commander in Chief,” the lawyers for Lieutenant Dan Choi and Captain James Pietrangelo wrote in an advisory, “and were therefore under an obligation and authority to act as they did in order to pressure him.” You can read the full subpoena at Politico. (More subpoena stories.)