The Vermont senator, a U.S. House member throughout most of the 1990s, was a strong defender of gay rights even as President Bill Clinton was about to sign the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act. The law, which Hillary Clinton supported, was strongly opposed by many in the LGBT community and was later nullified, in large part, by the U.S. Supreme Court.

It’s worth remembering this incident as Sanders comes under attack for suggesting that groups such as the Human Rights Campaign — darlings of the left — are part of the “establishment.”

As for the rude man in the video? According to Good Magazine:

[Rep. Randall “Duke”] Cunningham resigned from the House in November of 2005 after pleading guilty to accepting $2.4 million in bribes and underreporting his income for 2004. He also pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, and tax evasion. He was sentenced to eight years and four months in prison and was forced to pay $1.8 million in restitution.

— Posted by Natasha Hakimi Zapata

 During these critical times, your support is crucial...

As we navigate an uncertain 2025, with a new administration questioning press freedoms, the risks are clear: our ability to report freely is under threat.

Your tax-deductible donation enables us to dig deeper, delivering fearless investigative reporting and analysis that exposes the reality behind the headlines — without compromise.

Now is the time to take action. Stand with our courageous journalists. Donate today to protect a free press, uphold democracy and uncover the stories that need to be told.

SUPPORT TRUTHDIG
In this Article:
#bernie sanders#defense of marriage act#don't ask don't tell#hillary clinton#human rights campaign#lgbtq#politics#video