Tag Archives: New York state

“We believe that human beings are hard-wired with a sense of right and wrong. It’s sort of in our DNA. And there are certain things that deep down we just know, because nature, and nature’s God has implanted that sense within us. That’s what philosophers, not even Catholic ones, like Aristotle, call natural law. There’s an in-built code of right …

Just a few days after his press conference calling for an immediate vote on his marriage equality bill, New York Gov. David Paterson now says he’ll defer to Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith as to when to bring the bill to the floor. Sen. Malcolm Smith of Queens backs the measure but wants to first secure the 32 votes needed …

The Advocate is reporting that the Log Cabin Republicans have engineered an agreement with New York’s GOP that will allow legislators to “vote their conscience” on Gov. Paterson’s marriage equality bill rather than be pressured by their party to vote against it. The development could be particularly important in the Senate, where Democrats hold a slim 32-30 majority, four Democrats …

A new Siena Research Institute poll (PDF) shows that for the first time, a majority of New Yorkers support marriage equality. Suck it, Sen. Diaz! By a 53-39 percent margin, voters support the Senate passing a bill to legalize same sex marriages that would virtually ensure its becoming law. Democrats, independent and young voters, and women strongly support Senate passage. …

Former NYC mayor and failed 2008 presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani is defending all three of his traditional marriages and attacking Gov. Paterson for supporting same-sex marriage. Rudy Giuliani is declaring war on gay marriage — vowing to use his strong opposition of it against the Democrats if he runs for governor next year. The former mayor, in an extended interview …

Thanks to Andy Towle, we finally have video of openly gay NY Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell’s remarks at yesterday’s press conference announcing Gov. Paterson’s marriage equality bill. In 2007 O’Donnell successfully sponsored a marriage equality bill in the Assembly and is confident that it would pass by an even greater margin in 2009. O’Donnell: “I do not want a pew in …

Wingnut Pentacostal minister and NY state Sen. Ruben Diaz (D-Bronx) says he is planning a May event to call for the resignation of Gov. David Paterson over his support of marriage equality. Diaz: “We will bring out thousands and thousands of Hispanic evangelical Christians in the city of New York to ask Governor Paterson to step aside.” In the NYC …

From the hilarious World Weekly News: New York Governor David Paterson is introducing legislation today which would promote same-sex marriages in the state. Political insiders believe he is being pressured to do so by the Gay Mafia, based out of New York’s Fashion District. The Gay Mafia, or the Velvet Hand, has been a force in New York politics since …

Flanked by Mayor Bloomberg and NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Gov. David Paterson delivers a great speech in support of his marriage equality bill. Openly gay Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell gave a fantastic speech too, I’ll try to find that.

At this writing, New York Gov. David Paterson is holding a news conference announcing the submission of his marriage equality bill. The Empire State Pride Agenda urges all New Yorkers to contact their representatives using this form and request that they uphold the American ideal of equality for all citizens. Do it now, please.

In his second statement on the issue in as many days, yesterday New York’s new Catholic Archbishop Timothy Dolan vowed to use his new job to fight the marriage equality legislation to be introduced by Gov. Paterson today. Dolan said he will call on all the Catholic Bishops in New York to work with him to defeat the bill.Dolan: “We …

Anti-gay preacher and NY state Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. is positively freaked about Gov. Paterson introducing a marriage equality bill tomorrow and has called for an “emergency summit.” Oh noes! Homos! Elizabeth Benjamin at the NY Daily News: Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. has called an emergency summit of the New York Hispanic Clergy Organization tomorrow to strategize on the “next …

Over the objections of some legislators such as openly gay state Sen. Thomas Duane, who’d prefer to wait until we have the votes to win, NY Gov. David Paterson will introduce his marriage equality bill on Thursday. Mr. Paterson has said in recent days that the State Legislature should move ahead now with the legislation regardless of whether it can …

Disgraced former NY Gov. Eliot Spitzer is reportedly planning on running for state Attorney General in 2010 when current AG Andrew Cuomo runs for governor. Seriously. Spitzer: “My record as governor was disappointing, but the voters will remember my excellent two terms as attorney general.” By “disappointing” he means “hookers, wire fraud, Troopergate, Ashley Dupree.”

How about THIS for some momentum? Gov. David Paterson said Wednesday he plans to re-introduce legislation to make same-sex marriages legal in New York. The legislation is expected to mirror a gay-marriage bill introduced in 2007 by former Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who — with Paterson as his running mate — campaigned in 2006 on a platform that included marriage equality. …

“Vermont was the first state to pass a law recognizing same-sex couples through civil unions and now becomes the first state to provide real marriage equality for same-sex couples through a vote in the state legislature. This is truly a victory for LGBT people in Vermont and across the country. “But I’m embarrassed for New York State. “We hope that …

Sponsored by openly gay politico Daniel O’Donnell, a sweeping anti-bullying bill has overwhelmingly passed in New York’s state Assembly. Via press release: The bill was recently amended to cover the broadest categories of students who face harassment and discrimination in our state’s schools. While the amendment explicitly added weight, it also clarified that protections should not be limited to the …

On Monday the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force hosts its annual New York Leadership Awards. This year’s honorees include designer John Bartlett and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. Tickets available here. My coverage of the 2008 awards is here.

The anti-gay Alliance Defense Fund has gotten New York’s Court of Appeals to agree to review the state’s recognition of gay marriages from other jurisdictions. The state’s highest court agreed on Tuesday to hear arguments in two cases that challenge New York’s recognition of same-sex marriages legally performed elsewhere. Lower courts have already sided with two government entities that revised …

NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg called for the state legislature to pass a same-sex marriage bill last night in an appearance at the LGBT Community Center. Mayor Bloomberg said Wednesday night he stands ready to ask the Legislature to allow gay marriage in New York State, but doesn’t know when the time will be right. “We see that the tide is …