Results tagged “rubendiaz”

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 a stunning turn of events, the Republicans appear to have taken back control of the State Senate after two Democratic senators defected and voted to place new leaders in control of the legislative body. Senators Hiram Monserrate and Pedro Espada, Jr., of Queens and the Bronx respectively, joined GOP senators in a 32-30 vote to make Espada temporary president of the Senate and Republican Dean Skelos the new Majority Leader.

Leave it to a gay marriage bill to make it feel like everyone seems to be playing for the wrong team. The Daily News is reporting that Governor Paterson is getting serious about reaching across the aisle and courting Republicans to help pass his bill to legalize same-sex marriage in New York. And who might his ace (or Gary) in the hole be? None other than former Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno.

With a controversial bill to legalize same-sex unions still waiting in the wings for a Senate vote, Republicans and Democrats in Albany are bickering like an old married couple. Earlier this week, openly-gay Democratic Senator Thomas Duane—the bill's prime sponsor—predicted he had enough votes to pass the measure, but a survey of all State Senators contradicted that assertion. And yesterday Bronx Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr., who opposes the bill, blasted Duane's loose talk: "If Senator Tom Duane has the necessary Senate votes to pass the homosexual marriage bill in New York State, then he should release the names of those Senators who are supporting the bill. If not, he should shut up."

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:

Last week, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn issued a letter to President-elect Obama's inauguration committee to express her dismay over the selection of Rick Warren as pastor. Quinn, who is openly gay, wrote, "Yet what is so offensive here is not the mere selection of a religious leader who is opposed to same-sex marriage. It is the selection of a man who has used his position to try to deny others their civil rights, and to create huge divisions among Americans." On the other hand, State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr., a Democrat and a Pentecostal minister who opposes discussing gay marriage in the next legislative year, thinks Warren's invitation is important, "The Democratic Party should not be a party of only two issues: Abortion and homosexual marriage. Everybody should be accepted: Orthodox Jews, Evangelical Christians, Catholics, Muslims, and those with religious beliefs that oppose abortion and homosexual marriage. YES WE CAN!"

After weeks of hold outs preventing the fate of the State Senate leadership to be announced, the parties have agreed to a Solomonic deal: The NY Times explains that Malcolm Smith, the former Senate minority leader, "would be elected president pro tempore, a constitutional office that makes him the chamber’s leader," while Senator-elect Ruben Espada Jr. "would be elected to what would be the subordinate post of majority leader and appointed vice chairman of the Rules Committee, which must approve all legislation that goes through the Senate." This is based on a handshake deal from Smith, Espada, Senator Ruben Diaz, and Senator Carl Kruger (the latter two also get big roles)--and it still needs to be approved. And rumor has it that the deal was reached partly because Smith agreed he wouldn't bring up same-sex marriage during the next session.

Democrats now in the majority of the state senate for the first time in over forty years appear to be preparing to stall on voting to legalize gay marriage, a big issue that helped push them over the top this election year. Several factors appear to be giving Democrats hesitation: the strong wave that came out against gay marriage in the Prop 8 battle in California, fear of the issue backfiring on Governor Paterson's reelection chances in 2010 and the hopes to appease Gang of Three leader Ruben Diaz who has said he will not support a majority leader who would allow a same-sex marriage vote come to floor. Naturally that leaves many pushing for legalization ASAP upset after all the money poured into Democratic senate campaigns from gay rights groups around the country and the mobilization on their side amidst the Prop 8 battle. Liz Krueger, a senator from the Upper East Side told the Times, “We want to get there, but we want to get there the right way or else we risk setting ourselves back another decade."