Results tagged “gaymarriage”

One of the staunchest opponents to same-sex marriage is a Bronx state senator with two gay brothers, a gay grandchild, and a gay chief counsel. Democrat Ruben Diaz, Sr., a Pentecostal minister, has been a die hard foe of any bill that would legalize gay marriage in New York State, despite his supposedly convivial relationship with many homosexuals. "I love them. I love them," says Díaz, who grew up one of 17 children in Puerto Rico. "But I don’t believe in what they are doing."

Earlier this week, Paterson announced he would put the bill in front of the Senate during next week's special session. He had proposed the bill back in April, and the Assembly passed it in in May, but the bill was placed on the back burner after the Senate coup. However, the Senate is notoriously split on the issue and Paterson doesn't have much juice to twist Senators' arms.

Uber-popular Gov. Paterson is not only pushing ahead with his fat tax, he's also bringing the same-sex marriage bill back to the Legislature in next week's special session, which will deal with unresolved bills and other matters that were tabled in the midst of the summer coup. According to aides, the Gov. wants to force the Senate to deal with Senator Tom Duane's marriage-equality bill one way or the other—even though he can't force them to vote on it. Some think, considering his dismal ratings, this is a go-for-broke move that aides hope can help his ailing political fortunes.

Mayor Bloomberg thinks that he could strong-arm local Republican state senators into voting for a gay marriage bill, but he doesn't seem to believe that the Democrats have the cajones to bring Governor Paterson's same-sex marriage legislation to the floor. Asked why he thought he could change the minds of some pretty staunch GOP gay marriage opponents, Bloomberg said, “I’m the main funder. You know, you can’t dictate every piece of legislation, and I don’t want to say that they’re bribable. But they know where I stand, and they want me to be a supporter.”

Governor Paterson may have spent his summer struggling through a legislative mess brought on by the Senate coup and continually sagging poll numbers that threaten the possibility of his 2010 bid, but he wants to make it clear that he hasn't forgotten his pledge to bring gay marriage to New York. Paterson told that he intends to put his same sex marriage bill on the floor when senators convene for a special session he expects to call later this month. Lawmakers are not required to vote on legislation brought up by the governor, but there may be more of a chance for that now that John Sampson is Democratic Conference Leader. Former Majority Leader Malcolm Smith had a deal with the Three Amigos not to bring same sex legislation to the floor. But the most vocal opponent of gay marriage, Senator Ruben Diaz Jr., told the News, "I tell you - as a man, before God - if that issue comes to the floor, there's going to be chaos in the Democratic conference. You can take that to the bank." However Diaz also said, "(But) I'm not going to join the Republicans. Never. Never."

A couple from New York became the first wed in Vermont as the state's same-sex marriage law went into effect after midnight. WPTZ reports, "Bill Slimback and Bob Sullivan waited 17 years before finally tying the knot in a midnight ceremony at a lodge in Duxbury... Slimback said he and Sullivan -- who are from Whitehall, N.Y. -- have long wanted to cement their relationship by marriage. Since they can't legally marry in New York, they chose to have their wedding in Vermont." Aw. Gay marriage, supported by NY Governor David Paterson, has been put on the back burner by the State Senate. In brighter news, Ben & Jerry's is now offering Hubby Hubby-a temporary renaming of Chubby Hubby to honor Vermont's decision.

After hoping and pledging that his same-sex marriage bill would come before state senators before their (official) summer vacation began, now Governor Paterson is backing off and saying that he will delay pushing the bill forward until the Senate returns in September. As the senators prepare to finish up their session Wednesday and Thursday, the new Majority Leader Pedro Espada said, “There was a general consensus that we wouldn’t take on extremely controversial bills in the next week.” A spokesman for Paterson said he would probably call a special legislative session in early September. The governor did some courting on the gay marriage issue while the Senate worked out their issues, even having the bill backed by former Republican Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno. But strong gay marriage opponent Democrat (and Pentecostal minister) Senator Ruben Diaz said, “We just got unity. Don’t start to un-unify us. Let us have some kind of honeymoon.” A honeymoon with 80% dudes.

In what is truly a case of politics making for strange bedfellows, it's reported that Governor Paterson's right-hand man, Charles O'Byrne (pictured), recently had a meeting with GOP operative Roger Stone. Stone of course is the man best known for helping bring down former Governor Eliot Spitzer, outing his penchant for socks-on time and chewing out Spitzer's elderly father along the way. Stone has publicly stated that he would like to see Paterson, and not Andrew Cuomo, get the Democratic nomination next year because he knows the governor appears more vulnerable to a GOP opponent. Could O'Byrne have been looking for assistance from a man eager to aid the governor's ultimate defeat?

With "active" members of the State Senate a little indisposed this week, Governor Paterson must have turned up the heat in lobbying Former Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno to come out and endorse his gay marriage bill. Today the Republican leader hopped in the leather captain's chair of the Brunomobile and potentially put the state's legalization of same-sex marriage into the fast lane. Bruno told the AP, "As a Republican, I believe in personal freedom. I opposed same sex marriage largely because the overwhelming majority of my caucus opposed it. As a relatively conservative Roman Catholic, I instinctively view marriage as the foundation of the family. However, that view really does conflict with the rights that are afforded all of us. This is America and we have inalienable rights ... life is short and we should all be afforded the same opportunities and rights to enjoy it." The AP mentions that Bruno's wife of 57 years Barbara just passed away in 2008. With several Democrats already opposing the bill, Paterson and company hope that Bruno's endorsement could pave the way for undecided GOP senators to come over and support it.

As the debate to legalize gay marriage rages on within the chaotic confines of Albany, two young men took matters into their own hands and hoodwinked their way into a marriage certificate at the City Clerk's Office. Hakim Nelson and Jason Stenson were married on May 26th, sliding under the radar on Nelson's food stamps card, which lists him as a female. No one at the clerk's office raised an eyebrow since Nelson arrived wearing an orange dress with white leggings. The two believe that they made history with Stenson saying, "People in Albany can say, 'Look, it's already happened, so let's just make it legal.'" Hakim Nelson and Jason Stenson, you might be New York's first gay marriage to go public, what are you gonna do now? We're taking our story to the New York Post! The Post talked to a city official, who seemed pretty unfazed, telling the paper, "If someone is trying to willfully sneak through, we try to stop it. But you have instances of females [who] have male names and vice versa. You've heard of a boy named Sue, right?" The newlyweds have been honeymooning at a homeless youth shelter in Brooklyn.

While it's unclear what will happen to the gay marriage legislation with Albany in disarray (there might actually be a vote, but it's questionable whether there will be enough votes to pass it), one thing is for sure: Same-sex New York couples are heading to Connecticut to get married. A Westchester couple tells the NY Times that they would have loved to have a New York wedding—"Our lives are here; our friends are here"—but "It got to the point where it doesn’t look 100 percent good right now. When you have Greenwich, Conn., 20 minutes away, I said, 'Why are we waiting?'"

Adding some extra toppings to what's shaping up to be the summer of ice cream vendors (complete with secret and not-so-secret wars), Serious Eats reports that a new contender, The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck, has its official paperwork in the mail and is getting ready to roll out.

A survey of all 62 state Senators shows that a pending same-sex marriage bill faces tough odds of passing if brought to the floor for a vote. Majority Leader Malcolm Smith says he won't do that unless he's certain it has the 32 votes needed for passage, and the survey, conducted by NY1, would seem to contradict the bill's primary sponsor, Thomas Duane, who has optimistically predicted "there are enough votes for it to pass and a cushion." Reverend Jason McGuire of New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms tells NY1, "We're very confident in the fact that this bill is quickly going to crash and burn."

[UPDATE BELOW] You do know that if gay marriage becomes legal in New York, your children will be instantly turned gay by their crusading queer teachers, right? And according to this eye-opening new TV commercial, "it's not just kids who face consequences. The rights of people who believe marriage means a man and a woman will no longer matter. We’ll have to accept gay marriage whether we like it or not." Oppressed straight couples, Albany will never respect your rights if you don't stand up now!

The State Senate is still mulling over gay marriage legislation—maybe NYC Comptroller Bill Thompson's report showing that NY State "could gain over $200 million in the three years immediately following the legalization of marriage for same-sex couples" will help the senators make up their mind. The report is an update of his 2007 study, Love Counts: The Economic Benefits of Marriage Equality for New York. If the recession doesn't reduce the number of out-of-state guest, NY State could expect a $210 million gay marriage boom ($178 million is the recession is a factor) while NYC would expect $149 million ($120 million if the recession affects guest count). There would be higher insurance costs—$69 million, $37 million paid by employers. Thompson said, "Legalizing marriage for same-sex couples is not only good for the couples, but also for our economy. And while other states across our nation have legalized marriage for same-sex couples since my last report, I expect New York to still stand as a prime destination for many couples because it will stand as a welcoming beacon of diversity and acceptance." He is also "disappointed" the California Supreme Court upheld Prop 8.

The State Supreme Court in California has voted 6-1 to uphold Proposition 8, a ballot initiative that banned gay marriage in the state last November. But in upholding the law, the court also agreed to validate the 18,000 same-sex marriages that took place between June of last year when gay marriage was legalized (by the same court) and November, when Prop 8 was passed by the voters.

Meghan McCain, daughter of the Senator and presidential candidate John McCain, has an opinion piece in the Daily News today. It's actually an open letter to NY State's Republicans, asking them to support the state's gay marriage legislation, "No matter how politically charged the discussions about marriage equality may get, the question is really a simple one: Do the rights and privileges we offer citizens include everyone in our country, or only some of us? I believe that allowing gays and lesbians the freedom to marry is an idea whose time has come... Equality under the law and personal freedoms are what make America the greatest country in the world, and they are core values that I hold as a Republican." McCain also Tweets, "I sincerely hope new york lawmakers will vote YES on the marriage equality bill!" If more than a few Republicans were to vote yes, the bill could possibly pass (the Senate's Democrats are split).

Yesterday afternoon, at 45th and 6th Avenue in Midtown, there was a big rally, full of gay marriage proponents urging the State Senate to pass the gay marriage bill, holding signs like "Marriage Equality Now." Governor David Paterson made a last-minute appearance, rousing the crowd, "My name is David Paterson, and I came here today seeking justice. Let New York lead the country in making the dreams and wishes come true for people who want to get married." But at Third Avenue and 40th, there was an opposing rally, organized by the New York Hispanic Clergy Organization, led State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. (D-Bronx)—signs included "1 man + 1 woman = God's will" and chants were along the lines of "New York is not Sodom and Gomorrah!"

A new Quinnipiac poll reveals that New York State is split 46% to 46% when it comes to allowing same-sex marriage. Quinnipiac also says, "Black voters opposed 57 - 35 percent while white voters tip narrowly in favor of gay marriage 47 - 45 percent." But there's more support for civil unions: Overall, voters support civil unions 65-27 "with 67 - 24 percent support from white voters and 52 - 39 percent support from black voters."

Last night, the State Assembly voted to approve the gay marriage bill. PolitickerNY reports the vote occurred "after four hours of debate and a technical problem that crashed the chamber's electronic voting mechanisms." Previously, in 2007, the Assembly passed a similar bill 85-61; this year, three Democrats switched their votes from no to yes as did two Republicans. One, Assemblyman Fred Thiele (R-Hamptons), explained, "There’s that little voice inside of you that tells you when you’ve done something right, and when you’ve done something wrong. That vote just never felt right to me. That little voice kept gnawing away at me." Assemblyman Danny O'Donnell (pictured), a vocal supporter of the bill, said during the debate, "I am seeking a piece of paper that is issued by my government that all of you have had. Some of you have had it two or three times, some of you are running for governor managed to marry their cousin and all that's ok. But I don't get one. So it's not about anybody's religion. This is about 'by the power vested in me by the State of New York.'"

The State Assembly is voting on the same-sex marriage bill today. The Assembly passed the bill 85-61 in 2007, and it's expected today's vote will have an even bigger showing of support. The NY Times reports that Assemblyman Danny O'Donnell (D-Manhattan), who is also the older brother of Rosie O'Donnell, "helped gather nearly 90 votes in the 150-member Assembly" and "is also using the Assembly vote as a way to pressure members of the Senate, where the legislation’s fate will be decided, and demonstrate to wary senators that there is support in their districts for the bill." He explains, "If you want to run for attorney general or for governor or lieutenant governor or senator or congressperson, and you’re not in favor of my equality, then I’m not interesting in helping you. And I’ve made that clear." O'Donnell is throwing an engagement party for himself and partner John Banta after the vote; he did tell colleague Greg Ball (D-Patterson) that he was "the best looking guy in the Assembly" and that Ball wouldn't be invited if he voted no. Of course, the passage of same-sex marriage in NY State hinges on the State Senate.

With Governor Paterson's introduction of a gay marriage bill for NY State, all eyes are on the State Senate. At least 32 Senate votes are needed for the bill to become a reality (the Assembly passed a gay marriage bill in 2007). Gay rights groups believe they have 24 votes, so, the NY Times reports, "Groups like the Empire State Pride Agenda, the Log Cabin Republicans and the Human Rights Campaign have undertaken a highly methodical and personal campaign focusing on those senators from the North Country to Long Island who they believe may be open to backing the bill." Some Republican senators may be swing votes but overall, the lawmakers' religious faiths are a big barrier. Sen. Ruth Hassell-Thompson (D-Westchester, Bronx) whose family is very involved with the church said, "I always try to believe that I’m an open-minded person... This is an issue that challenges the fundamental beliefs that people have. And it’s not easy." But Sen. John L. Sampson (D-Brooklyn) told the Times he is now undecided, "I do see it differently. I can’t impose my own religious beliefs in a situation like this."

Rudy Giuliani certainly has cultivated a loyal friend in the man who once kept him from a life of mayoral couch surfing during his second divorce, newlywed Howard Koeppel. Instead of enjoying a quiet day of breakfast in bed with new hubby Mark Hsiao, Koeppel defended Giuliani's no-show at the 10-person affair, expressing disappointment but assuring that they're still friends. He told the Post, "I understand why he's doing what he's doing. If he decides to run for governor...he's a Republican, and he's taking a Republican stand." Koeppel had recently told the paper that he understood Giuliani opposed gay marriage for religious reasons, but added that the former mayor told him that if it ever became legal in New York, "he would marry us himself." Both sides have expressed that their time living together was nothing but pleasant. Maybe Rudy had read the wikiHow on being a good houseguest, which states, "With certain differences between your lifestyle and your hosts', remember, it should be possible to reach a tolerant arrangement for a comfortable stay."

Rudy Giuliani was not able to make it yesterday to the same-sex wedding of the couple that put him up for six months during his messy divorce from Donna Hanover in 2001—but at least he was gracious enough to have his secretary call on Thursday and let the couple know. Could the no-show have something to do with Rudy's recent public push against gay marriage in a move to potentially gear up for a gubernatorial run next year? Rudy's stay at the apartment of Mark Hsiao and Howard Koeppel (pictured with the mayor) has gotten numerous mentions since Rudy's recent slam of Governor Paterson's proposal to legalize gay marriage. The Post mentions that Koeppel once said that Giuliani was a perfect roommate who "always made his bed" and "called me mother." The wedding is featured in today's Sunday Styles, where the couple discusses their famous houseguest, whose third wedding they attended in 2003.

At the Empire State Pride Agenda's LGBT Equality & Justice Day event in Albany, PolitickerNY reports that Governor Paterson was greeted like a rock star: "An estimated 2,000...gave David Paterson a standing ovation, and chanted 'David, David.'" The Empire State Pride Agenda's executive director Alan Van Cappelle also referred to the ratings-challenged governor as "New York's governor, our governor, the next governor, David A. Paterson." Paterson, who announced same-sex marriage legislation but softened his urgency, told the crowd, "Sometimes it takes a disciplined effort and some losses to get to a victory." According to the Daily Politics, in a Q&A with reporters, "Paterson noted many of the same people now complaining they are being discriminated against for citing religious reasons for their opposition to same-sex marriage did not speak out against discrimination of gays and lesbians when he and others were pushing a hate crimes bill in the Senate."

Newly-installed Archbishop Timothy Dolan is continuing to make his presence felt in the media, keeping open discussions about hot button issues such as gay marriage and the possibility of marriage within the priesthood. Dolan seems to be making a concentrated effort to put a positive spin on the church's stance on topics that he knows might not sit well in a town as socially liberal as New York.

One week ago, Governor David Paterson announced that he was proposing forth gay marriage legislation, "For too long, LGBT New Yorkers have been told to wait for their civil rights and personal freedom. We will not wait any longer. Now is the time for action. Now is the time for leadership... We have to have a debate. We have to have a vote." Yet his remarks yesterday made it seem like the Governor is "backpedaling" or "softening" his effort to have the bill up for a vote.

Rudy Giuliani went on the offensive today against Governor Paterson's proposal to legalize gay marriage in one of the most blatant signals thus far that he is eying a run for governor next year. "This will create a grass-roots movement....This is something that will bring a lot of people to the Republican Party because it’s such a basic challenge to what people believe is the way society should be organized." Giuliani is in Albany to address a fund-raising gala tonight and said he will decide on whether he will run by year's end. Giuliani is in favor civil unions, a position he pointed out is shared by President Obama and Hillary Clinton (though he also mentioned today that Obama is "doing all the wrong things.") Rudy said he thinks Paterson's gay marriage push is just a way to solidify a Democratic base, but will alienate him from most New Yorkers. He said, "I think he's worried and, given his [low polling] numbers, it wouldn't be normal if he wasn't worried about a primary challenge from, I guess, Cuomo. But somebody else could also come out of anywhere with numbers like that."

During his rousing introduction of gay marriage legislation, Governor Paterson emphasized, "Our work to correct injustice cannot depend on factors like timing or guaranteed success." And that's a gamble he's taking—in an interview with the NY Times, Paterson admitted he's not sure if the bill will pass through the State Legislature, "I’m more optimistic that it gets done. I’m not necessarily sure that it can be done." He also thinks some Republican Senators (the Assembly already passed the bill in 2007) might end up supporting it. Sen. Kemp Hannon (R-LI) told the Times he would probably oppose the bill—"It’s a difficult decision because it has so many people locked in on both sides. It may not seem like that from the epicenter of the world called Manhattan. But out here in the suburbs, there are mixed emotions."—but also admitted his colleagues might be flexible, "This is a serious matter, and it deserves serious consideration." And on Thursday night, Paterson told CNN's Wolf Blitzer the gay marriage bill was not an attempt to help his horrible approval numbers: and besides, he's still running in 2010, "The real desire is to have me not run, because they know, if I do, I will probably win."

Governor Paterson held a press conference today introducing legislation to legalize gay marriage in New York. The governor was not the least bit tepid in his strong support of the issue, saying he has been on record as an advocate for same-sex marriage since 1994. The state's first black governor drew a strong connection between the fight for marital rights and the abolition movement, citing the names of Harriet Beecher Stowe and Frederick Douglass. Paterson said: