It's a talent Jeremy Peters reveals here [emphasis added]:

In an apparent effort to court a voting bloc in her home state, Senator Kristen E. Gillibrand is preparing to introduce legislation that would withhold funding to enforce the “don't ask, don't” law.

And yes, that's the article's first sentence. Which means even before Peters explains what the Democratic senator is doing, Peters, via his mind-reading skills, explains why she's doing it. (i.e. For purely political reasons.)