WashPo: Gays = Traitors

The Washington Post notes that Gerry Studds husband won't be able to collect his pension, and tries to gin up some controversy:

The federal government has refused to pay death benefits to the spouse of former congressman Gerry E. Studds (D-Mass.), the first openly gay member of Congress. . . .

Peter Graves, a spokesman for the Office of Personnel Management, which administers the congressional pension program, said same-sex partners are not recognized as spouses for any marriage benefits. He said Studds's case is the first of its kind known to the agency.

Under federal law, pensions can be denied only to lawmakers' same-sex partners and to people convicted of espionage or treason, Graves said.

Other people who can be denied pensions: complete strangers; girlfriends; mothers; bestfriends; platonic roomates; and supportive bloggers.