Dornan Out of Doghouse as Feud With Gingrich Ends

The two-week feud between House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Orange County Rep. Robert K. Dornan now is officially over, a spokesman for Gingrich’s office said Wednesday.

Gingrich had penalized Dornan after the tough-talking Garden Grove Republican endorsed a challenger to abortion rights Republican Rep. Sue Kelly of New York.

The speaker removed Dornan from the powerful joint House and Senate panel that worked out the final details of the defense appropriations bill. And Dornan was told he would not be allowed to travel overseas on congressional business for the remainder of the term.

“The differences between Mr. Dornan and Mr. Gingrich have been resolved satisfactorily,” Gingrich spokesman John Cox said Wednesday. “They have had a discussion and resolved their differences, and the travel restrictions are not going to be enforced.”

Dornan chief of staff Paul Mero declined to comment, although Dornan said earlier this week that the differences were patched up.

The truce comes at a political cost to Dornan. Two of his highest-priority issues in the defense bill, discharging military personnel who test positive for HIV and banning gays in the military, were stripped from the defense bill. Another provision forcing the Defense Department to help the families of POWs/MIAs locate missing servicemen was gutted.

Dornan met with the House leaders on Tuesday to air out differences. Later, during an hourlong speech on the House floor, he said he would vote against the defense bill because his provisions were removed.