VIDEO: NY Sen. George Maziarz Cannot Constitutionally Explain His Anti-Gay Vote to Lesbian Constituent

New York state Sen. George Maziarz is confronted by his lesbian and married constituent Anne Tischer back in November at a town hall. She refers to his anti-gay record and asks how he will vote on the marriage equality bill that at the time was coming up to the senate. He was unable to give any constitutional explanation.



What is so striking about this exchange is that Sen. Maziarz fails to address anything that Anne brings up, simply falling back on a message point (if you can call it that) of "one man, one woman." As a senator who gave an oath to create constitutional legislation, can he not do his job and explain how he's come to his conclusion other than relying on discriminatory view points and religion?

Even more disheartening is the applause that breaks when he states his position. These people, who see Anne and her wife sitting right in front of them after hearing their story, who see a face of the suffering of inequality - not a faceless group of people who is easy to vote against at the ballot box - and they still applaud denying them rights? And yet they say it's not hate.

The only thing that gives me comfort is knowing that these people will be harshly judged by history, just as the segregationists and anti-suffrage movement is today.

(H/T Freedom to Marry)

VIDEO: Jon Stewart Ridicules New York Senate Vote Against Marriage Equality

What can I say that he hasn't?

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Gaywatch - Meredith Baxter & New York State Senate
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

More Protests in New York City Over Failed Marriage Bill; Pro- and Anti-Marriage Equality Forces Face Off in New Jersey Rally

Last night Gov. David Paterson, Sen. Tom Duane, NYC City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and more showed up to the second protest in two nights, this time at Union Square.

Andy Towle of Towleroad guessed that possibly more than a thousand people showed up to voice their dissatisfaction with New York's senate voting down the marriage bill 24-38. A bill that had passed the Assembly three times. A bill on which eight democratic senators, who have their jobs because of major LGBT support, voted against.

Yeah, I'd be protesting, too.

Sen. Tom Duane rightfully gets "angry at the betrayal."

The crowd.

Joe.My.God said of the rally and the forthcoming backlash:

Throughout the crowd and from the stage, threats of retribution rained down on the "Hate 38," the Senators that voted against equality. Particular scorn was heaped upon the eight traitorous Democrats, whose faces adorn many placards and who were named and shamed from the microphone. Hearty cheers went up whenever our new heroes like Sen. Ruth Hassell-Thompson were mentioned. The crowd was instructed about the coming 2010 elections and the NYC seats now in everyone's crosshairs. The evening was definitely not another useless venting of rage, as these things are often characterized.

Joe Sudbay takes the topic of retribution and runs with it at AmericaBlog as well as Crain's Insider.

John R. Bohrer of Blue Jersey has done a great podcast on what is going down in New Jersey. Due to massive lobbying coordinated by Garden State Equality, the state Senate Judiciary Committee will vote on the New Jersey marriage bill Monday. It must get through them before it goes to the full senate. If it does, the full senate will vote Thursday



Read the New Jersey's Star-Ledger's editorial, "Gay marriage: Equality poses no threat to marriage or religion."

ACTION: From Garden State Equality.

Images of New York by Andy Towle

Lead Sponsor of New York's Marriage Bill Sen. Duane: "I Am Enraged"; Protest Held in Times Square

Sen. Tom Duane, who has spent a majority of the year working behind the scenes to get New York's marriage bill to the floor to a vote, and who at point said he had all the votes needed to pass, officially responded in a statement to the bill failing.

Today’s vote against Marriage Equality makes me very angry. Promises made were not honored. The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community, and all fair-minded New Yorkers have been betrayed. I am enraged, deeply disappointed and profoundly saddened by the vote today.

In 2006, when the New York State Court of Appeals shamefully ruled that the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community did not have equal protection under the law in relation to Marriage Equality, I predicted that passing legislation to right this wrong in the State Senate would be a profound personal and sadly political battle.

I have been proven right.

Yet there is an irony in today’s vote. Five years ago no one would have predicted that a vote would even be possible in the Senate. Today, on the floor of the Senate, we had an open and honest debate about the indignity of denying Marriage Equality to thousands of New York’s LGBT citizens. We heard stories of family members and friends who have suffered merely because they are gay. Only one Senator, who opposed marriage, spoke on behalf of that position. Again, an honest debate of which only one side, sadly not the winning side, represented justice and equality.

Now that this discussion has started in the Senate, it cannot be stopped. We will see Marriage Equality pass in New York. Yes, not today, but in the near future -- openly and with bi-partisan support.

I want to applaud those friends and advocates in the LGBT community who insisted on a vote, regardless of the outcome. This was very brave and it was the right thing to do. I was honored to bring the bill to the floor of the Senate, for an up or down vote, with their support.

Today also brought home the fact that the State Senate must maintain a Democratic majority– and in even greater numbers. It was only under Democratic leadership that this vote was possible. We must also have a Governor willing to sign marriage equality into law.

Most importantly I am grateful to all my Democratic colleagues who spoke so eloquently in favor of marriage equality and all those who voted in the affirmative. I also believe in redemption, even for State Senators who need that chance.

I am confident that we will win the fight for marriage equality in New York State.

Within hours of yesterday's devastating vote, 200 to 300 protesters crowded into Times Square despite the cold rain to voice their disappointment with the Senate's failure to stand up for civil rights.



Blabbeando blogger Andres Duque has done a great post with amazing photos covering the protest, one of which I posted here. Blogger Joe.My.God was also there, voicing in particular his disdain for Democratic senators Hiram Monserrate, who at one point said he would vote for marriage equality, and Ruben Diaz, who has a long history of outright bigotry. Andrew Towle reports on the most "heinous defector."

Another rally is scheduled tonight in Union Square.

Reporter Rex Wockner has written a piece on yesterday's vote and the impact it has had.

Image by Andres Duque

BREAKING: New York Senate Votes Against Marriage Equality Bill 24-38

UPDATE 5 5:16p PST: CNN reports that Marist College poll released same day as Senate vote finds that a majority of New Yorkers support marriage equality 51-42%. Only if their representatives would've listened instead of voted with cowardice.

UPDATE 4 2:44p PST: NY Daily News reports lead sponsor Sen. Tom Duane's response. (H/T Towleroad)

"I wasn't expected to be betrayed, and so I have some justified anger," Duane said. "But it's just going to propel me to - I don't want to say redouble my efforts, because my efforts have been pretty strong - but I'm not going to let up."

I'm angry. I'm disappointed. I am let down. I'm betrayed. But I am not going away."

"Unfortunately, I think there was a contagious lack of backbone that occurred here today. And I’m angry about that and sad about that, but it was contagious. Similarly, the opposite would have meant far more votes than anyone had expected but unfortunately that wasn’t the way it went today."

UPDATE 3 2:21p PST: New York's largest LGBT advocacy group, Empire State Pride Agenda, responds to today's vote.

UPDATE 2 2:09P PST: NOM celebrates.

UPDATE: Rally tonight Times Square to protest today's vote, 6pm EST.

Original Post 12:00pm PST

After months and months of tumultuous back and forth power struggles, political maneuvers and looming budget issues, New York's Senate finally got it together enough to vote on the marriage equality bill. Unfortunately, they failed history and civil rights by voting against it 24-38.

These eight Democrats helped defeat the bill:

• Joseph Addabbo (D-Queens) - NO
• Darrel Aubertine (D- Cape Vincent) - NO
• Ruben Diaz (D-Bronx) - NO
• Shirley Huntley (D-Queens) - NO
• Carl Kruger (D-Brooklyn) - NO
• Hiram Monserrate (D-Queens) - NO
• George Onorato (D-Queens) - NO
• William Stachowski (D-Buffalo) - NO

See the full roll call.

Openly gay Sen. Tom Duane, lead sponsor for the bill, opened the debate on the marriage bill by telling his fellow senators that voting for the bill will make him equal to his colleagues in every way.

Anti-gay Sen. Ruben Diaz, who was two gay brothers and lesbian sister, said a vote for the marriage equality bill would be "treason." He went on to list all the states that passed same-sex marriage bans, and then reminded the Senate that all the states that do have marriage equality only have it because a court ordered it or the legislature and not the people.

Sen. Diaz concluded by urging the Senate to let the people of New York decide the matter and then proclaimed, "This is the day that the Lord has made."

He was the only senator to speak against the bill.

Sen. Eric Schneiderman said this isn't about morality. "You can't legislate morality," he said, "but you can legislate justice."

Sen. Schneiderman went on to say, "Every generation is called to this quintessential challenge of making Thomas Jefferson's words more true."



Hear Sen. Schneiderman's speech.

Sen. Eric Adams believed Sen. Diaz was speaking "from his heart and not his mind." Then he went on to list states that sold "blacks into slavery" and said, "Just because a numerical majority is in one place, it doesn't mean they are in the right place."

Sen. Adams implored his colleagues to read the comments made against African Americans and their right to marry and they will see they are the same being used against gays and lesbians and their right to marry.

Ending his powerful speech, Sen. Adams said, "You don't have to be gay to respect the rights of those who are."



Hear Sen. Adams' speech.

Sen. Jeffrey Klein, Deputy Majority Leader, started off apologizing that it took so long to vote on marriage and said the senators should not be afraid to vote their conscience.

"We owe it to the entire gay community around New York to pass this legislation," Sen. Klein said. He went on to argue the economical advantage of marriage equality, stating that it will benefit New York to the tune of $200 million over the next three years.

Sen. David Valesky, who was undecided, asked why marriage equality was such a difficult issue. He concluded it was because it was extremely emotional and that senators owe to themselves to listen, to research and peel away the layers and get to the facts.

Sen. Valesky went on to say that marriage equality "can't be a matter of religion." Nothing on the senate floor "can be done in violation of the United States Constitution." The marriage bill could never, in any way shape or form, compel any house of worship to go against their religious beliefs.

"This bill is about a civil, legal commitment that provides benefits to same-sex couples and for this reason I will be voting in favor" of marriage equality, concluded Sen. Valesky.

Sen. Kevin Parker followed, stating "We have an opportunity to change our history. This is the time we strike a blow to one of the last inequalities in our country . . . Stand for marriage equality now because it is the right thing to do and now is the time to do it.."

Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada Jr. said, "If this vote was taken in my district today, marriage equality would fail." But he added that this wasn't about demographics. "My mind has been made up. It was made up a long time ago."

"This is a vote of conscience," Sen. Espada added. "I believe it is morally correct to vote 'yes.'... Let's not be scared into ignorance to think that it is not morally correct."

Sen. Diane Savino said she was nervous not because she doesn't how she was going to vote but because she didn't know what the outcome of the vote would be, a rarity for the New York Senate.

"This vote is about an issue of fairness and equality, not political," she said. "I hope we are going to make history here today." She went on to make a great speech about the farce the heterosexuals have made of marriage.

Sen. Liz Krueger said voting yes "is not a hard vote for me. I never had to think twice." Holding back tears, she said she knew about discrimination because she's a Jewish woman. "My religion says I must vote yes today."

Sen. Daniel Squadron said he wanted all New Yorkers to have the joy of marrying the one they love, as he recently did.

Sen. Velmanette Montgomery said that in the older days, religious belief dictated that people living together outside of marriage was considered sin. "For those of you who wonder why we should support people being able to marry, we do not want them living in sin."

"The churches would not exist without choir directors, many of whom are gay," she went on to say, talking about her constituents. "They would like to have the right to marry . . . I am going to vote so you have every right that every other citizen has."

Sen. Jose Serrano opened his speech by saying, "This is truly a wonderful day . . . Extending civil rights . . . will make our communities stronger . . . No one should be subjugated to less rights than anyone else." He added, "History once again will prove this civil rights movement to be right and correct."

Sen. Ruth Hassell-Thompson, who had thus far been undecided, for the first time declared her brother was gay. Her brother had disappeared from his family because their mother was a pastor and his parents did not accept him. After a long search, she found him and told how he suffered the death of his partner and the struggle he faced because they did not have the right of married couples.


Hear Sen. Hassell-Thompson's speech.

Referring to her sister who is now a pastor, Sen. Hassell-Thompson said her sibling would not agree with how she was going to vote. "No one elected me to be moral arbiter of their choices. But they did elect me to be a leader," she declared.

Referring to the many calls she received from her constituents, she said, "I am going to vote so you have every right that every other citizen has . . . I will be voting yes today."

Sen. Craig Thompson said, "This is about love and two individuals who love each other . . . this is about civil marriage!"

Sen. Bill Perkins thanked the LGBT rights movement for their vigilance and their push on the Senate to get them to vote on the marriage bill. "More than half the people in this room would not be here at another point in time. Marriage equality is here. And it is inevitable . . . It is inevitable that we will be successful . . . it is a change that is going to come. MLK is looking down on us today . . . I vote Aye."

Sen. Suzi Oppenheimer asked, "Some people have said to me [same-sex marriage] diminishes their marriage. I don't understand that. Why would it diminish my marriage?"

"Please don't quote the Bible or refer to it if you are not clear on what it really means," said Senate President Pro Tempore Malcolm Smith, who had earlier denied the marriage bill to come to the senate floor for a vote. "The Bible does not say that same-sex marriage is wrong . . . What's wrong is when you use the Bible for your own purposes."

He added, "When you experience discrimination, it hurts."

Openly gay and lead sponsor Sen. Tom Duane closed the debate. "To my [undecided] colleagues, there is still time to feel my gratitude in its fullness!"

Tearing up, Sen. Duane said, "Thank you for letting me have my rage . . . my sadness . . . my office is always a cry safety zone."

"The time is never right for civil rights. But the paradox is, it's always the time to be on the right side of history," Sen. Duane continued. "We are beating New Jersey today. Unfortunately, we are behind Iowa, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont - I may have left one out," he laughed. Well, the list is getting longer.

"I don't give up. I don't know how to," he went on.

Sen. Tom Duane had to stall the vote by extending his speech several minutes. Joe.My.God reports that the Republicans were pulled out and being strong-armed into voting against the bill.

As he voted, Sen. Diaz told his colleagues not to leave their Bibles behind and said he stood alongside Bill Clinton in voting against marriage equality.

Sen. Duane, when he stood to vote, corrected Sen. Diaz, reminding the senate that Bill Clinton has changed his position and now supports marriage for gays and lesbians.

Unfortunately, it appears most of the senators either clutched their Bibles or voted in fear for their jobs.

This is truly a sad day.

Audio supplied by Good As You.

New York State Assembly Passes Marriage Bill Again to Remove Obstacles For Expected Senate Vote Today

Back in May, New York's State Assembly voted to pass the state's marriage equality bill sponsored by the openly gay Assemblyman Danny O'Donnell, brother of comedian/actor Rosie O'Donnell.

Yet because the Senate is expected to vote on their version of the bill today (I'll believe it when I see it) in an extraordinary session (not a regular one), the Assembly had to vote on the bill again Tuesday night to clear all hurdles for its passage.

Empire Pride Agenda said in a press release:

Just a few moments ago, the New York State Assembly passed marriage equality legislation for the second time this year in a bipartisan vote of 86 to 51. By taking a vote in what is called an “extraordinary session,” the Assembly has removed any obstacle to the bill being sent to the Governor for his signature if the Senate votes on the bill when it reconvenes tomorrow to conduct business.

The Pride Agenda gives special thanks to the New York State Assembly, under the leadership of Speaker Sheldon Silver, that has now voted and passed the marriage equality bill three times. Our thanks also to the legislation’s prime sponsor Assemblymember Danny O’Donnell for leading the successful effort again on the floor.

It is anticipated that forces opposing marriage equality may be coming to Albany tomorrow to put pressure on the State Senate to take no action on the bill. We continue to expect the Senate to give this issue the respectful debate and vote it deserves.

ACTION: Contact your senator and tell them to vote for marriage equality!

Watch the Senate session live! (Scheduled for 10am EST - they're a little behind.) Now removed.

Possible Marriage Equality Votes in New York and D.C. Today; New Jersey Dems Sign Letter Urging For Vote

New York

According to the Times Union report yesterday, "The Senate is prepared to hold the long-delayed vote on gay marriage if the deficit reduction package can be put to bed in time tomorrow. Since the bill would pass in extraordinary session, the Assembly would have to debate and vote on the measure despite the fact that it passed marriage equality legislation months ago."

But Elizabeth Benjamin of the New York Daily News says that the deal on the budget may be falling apart, resulting in the marriage vote to be put on hold yet again. Shock.

(H/T Towleroad)


Washington D.C.

D.C. Council is poised to take the first of two scheduled votes on Council member Catania's marriage bill today. 10 of the 13 council members are co-sponsors, so it is expected to pass.

The bill has faced stiff opposition from the Archdiocese of Washington who threatened to end their charitable work in the district if it passed. Since the church receives public funds due to contracts with the city, they said they would be forced to give benefits to gay employees' spouses and objected. The Council has tried to find a common ground with the church but has not given any indication that a lack of resolution would keep them from passing marriage equality.


Read Richard Cohen's Washington Post article, "A Right to Say 'I Do.'"


New Jersey

It's been looking bleak for marriage equality in what was once a big possibility in the Garden State. However, the AP reports today:

Some 200 prominent New Jersey Democrats are urging the Legislature to vote on a gay marriage bill.

The Democrats , including members of Congress, fundraisers and lobbyists , released a letter to leaders in the Senate and Assembly Tuesday demanding the bill be voted up or down before the lame-duck session ends in January.

The letter reads:

We believe that equality and fairness are fundamental principles of New Jersey's Democratic Party, and that is why we call on the state legislature to vote immediately on, and pass, the marriage equality bill.

New Jersey has a proud history of supporting civil rights. It was this legacy that encouraged many of us to become involved in politics. We believe that allowing committed gay and lesbian couples to marry is, at its core, about treating our family members, friends, coworkers, and neighbors with dignity and respect.

We appreciate that this is a difficult issue for some state legislators. But marriage equality is an idea whose time has come. We are confident that the voters will stand by those elected officials who do the right thing.

When our children and grandchildren look back on this moment, we want to be able to tell them that we, too, did the right thing.

As Martin Luther King poignantly reminded us, "the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice." That is why we're proud to lend our names and our voices to this important cause. We do so in our capacity as private citizens and Democratic voters, and not on behalf of any particular office or organization.

"The letter to Democratic legislators was signed by a combination of veteran party leaders, young staffers, major fundraisers, political consultants and operatives, and local elected officials," reports the PolitickerNJ, who has a full list of signers, which include Newark Mayor Cory Booker and U.S. Reps. Rush Holt, Frank Pallone and Steven Rothman.

ACTION: Garden State Equality has called for a major lobby day on December 3.

In a related story, the AP has written about the unusual involvement of conservative Orthodox Jewish rabbis who have decided to get involved in the New Jersey marriage equality debate, voicing strong opposition to the same-sex marriage bill.

Two Court Victories For LGBT Couples

California

Los Angeles Times blog is reporting that on Wednesday a federal judge ordered the federal government to compensate a married gay couple who have been denied spousal benefits.

"U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Stephen Reinhardt deemed the denial of healthcare and other benefits to the spouse of federal public defender Brad Levenson to be a violation of the Constitution's guarantee of due process and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, which is prohibited by California state law," says the Los Angeles Times.

Brad Levenson and Tony Spears were married July 12, 2008 during the time marriage equality was legal in California.

Back in February, Judge Reinhardt had ruled that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which bars gay federal employees' spouses benefits, is unconstitutional.

In his ruling, Reinhardt wrote:

"The denial of federal benefits to same-sex spouses cannot be justified simply by a distaste for or disapproval of same-sex marriage or a desire to deprive same-sex spouses benefits available to other spouses in order to discourage exercising a legal right afforded them by the state."

Wednesday's order doesn't give Levenson and Spears spousal benefits, but it does order the government to give compensation. The couple had calculated how much more they would have to spend without the benefits, and it wound up being thousands of dollars.

"The judge's order is expected to resolve the injustice Reinhardt has cited in previous orders in Levenson's case. But it also recognizes the status quo of federal government rejection of gay marriage under the Defense of Marriage Act," says the Los Angeles Times. 'Several other challenges by those denied federal benefits, like filing joint tax returns, are making their way slowly through the federal courts."

New York

Back in April, New York's high court agreed to hear anti-LGBT Alliance Defense Fund lawsuit against the state, challenging its recognition of same-sex marriages performed outside its borders and granting benefits to these couples.

Today, however, the court rejected ADF's challenge 4-3 on the narrow basis of benefits, not on whether or not the legislature should legalize marriage equality. The court also noted that under the state's constitution, same-sex marriage isn't legal but it doesn't address recognizing legally performed same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions.

"The effect of the majority's rationale in affirming these orders will be to permit an unworkable pattern of conflicting executive and administrative directives ... (at the) individual discretion of each agency head," Judge Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick warned in an otherwise concurring opinion.

"We ought to avoid the confusion that would arise from a same-sex couple considered legally married by one agency for one purpose, but not married by another agency for a different purpose," the judge wrote.

With Thursday's court decision, legally married same-sex couples will be entitled to public employee health insurance coverage and certain other benefits provided to heterosexual spouses.

Read the court's ruling.

VIDEO: "How I Met Your Mother" Mocks New York's Inability to Legalize Marriage Equality - Possible Vote Today?

(At the 2:18 mark. H/T Jeremy Hooper at Good As You)

OK, but seriously, what the heck is happening in New York? No one knows for sure. But that seems to be a recurring theme.

Last week, the Senate met for a special session called by Gov. Paterson to solve the state's budget problems and vote on the marriage bill.

They dawdled. Nothing happened.

They met yesterday. Did anything happen? No.

Now, they're expected to meet again today. Don't hold your breath. The new promise on the marriage bill is to have a vote on it by the end of the year.

Let the games . . . continue.

RELATED: New York Conservatives Institute Marriage Equality Test- No Endorsement If One Votes For Equality

VIDEO: New York Sen. Ruben Diaz Faces Heat for His Opposition to Marriage Equality

Yesterday, I wrote about anti-LGBT New York Sen. Ruben Diaz and his vapid interview with the New York Times in which he attempts to defend his position of opposing marriage equality.

I've got gay family and friends, he exclaims. How can I be a homophobe? Since I already said my piece about his interview (and on his other ignorant actions against LGBT citizens), I'll let Nathaniel Frank at the Huffington Post say more.

Díaz never offers an argument against gay marriage. "The people of the nation don't want gay marriage," he told the Times. But then he argues the issue should not even come to a vote. If the people don't want equality, why shouldn't their representatives be able to express that will democratically, after debate, in the senate chamber? More to the point, why should the rights of a minority be granted only at the whim of a majority vote? Was it right in an earlier era to deny blacks and women equal rights just because the majority of the nation wished to do so?

-------

In addition to the majority tyranny argument, Díaz offers his Pentecostal religion as the reason for his effort to deny gay couples the right to marry. "My religion doesn't allow me to dance," he says, "but that does not mean I don't go to the party. My religion doesn't allow me to drink. But that doesn't mean I can't hang around with my friends. My religion is against gay marriage. It means, I don't agree with what you do. But let's go out. Let's go to the movies. Let's be friends."

Okay, where to start? It's fine, Senator Díaz, for you not to dance, but are you leading the effort to make dancing for others illegal? It's fine for you not to drink, but where is your fierce leadership on reviving that super popular and effective age of Prohibition? It's fine for you not to get gay-married, but why insist on denying others the rights you enjoy? And where is your outrage about all the Jews and Muslims and atheists who are legally allowed to get married even though, according to your religion, they're all going straight to hell? And where is your righteous effort to outlaw Jews' right to observe the Sabbath on the "wrong" day, or to keep Kosher? Might that seem a bit anti-Semitic? And maybe a bit absurd?

So, about this notion that you can ban others' rights because your religion "doesn't agree" with what they do: Have you ever given a moment of thought to how stupid this sounds? Millions and millions of people get married every year in this world. You have no idea what they all do and I bet you don't really care, so long as they're straight. But one thing you can be sure most of them do at one point or another is violate the tenets of their own (and your) religion. To be morally and intellectually consistent, don't you need to give a litmus test to all of them, about "what they do," to determine if you support their right to marry? Or just the gays?

But it wasn't just Hawthorne and me who were pissed yesterday. After it became apparent that the Senate was going to ignore the marriage bill AGAIN, some people had a few choice words for the senator as he left the chambers.



Like Hawthorne, I don't usually support the use of the word bigot against those who may feel they have valid reasons to vote against us. But in the case of Diaz, who can't seem to find a valid reason or even one that's masked in false logic, the word just may be appropriate.

LIVE STREAMING: New York Senate Vote on Marriage Equality Bill

Today at 12pm EST/9am PST, the New York Senate special session is set to begin. On the agenda is the state's marriage equality bill on which they're to debate and vote. Bookmark this page.



UPDATE 3 4:35pm PST: The AP is now reporting that Gov. Paterson is pushing for a vote on the marriage equality bill next week for special sessions on November 16 and 17. So it appears will be going through this process yet again.

UPDATE 2 10:40am PST: I must say, this does not come as a surprise to me. The New York Times is reporting that the state senate will not take up the marriage equality bill today.

Republicans and Democrats said that as of Tuesday afternoon the measure was still several votes short of the 32 necessary for approval. About five Democrats remained either opposed or noncommittal, meaning that Republican votes were needed to secure passage.

-----

It was unclear when the Senate would take the issue up. Wednesday is Veteran’s Day and a holiday, meaning that it would be at least the end of the week before they could vote on the bill. "It sounds like today is just not going to be the day," said Senator Eric T. Schneiderman, a Democrat from Manhattan who has been one of the same-sex marriage bill’s main proponents. "There are a lot of us who want to see it voted on and passed as soon as possible. So if today’s not the day, I think our views on the overall strategy don’t change."

This does not mean the bill is dead. The NY Times reports that a vote could come next week.

UPDATE 9:10am PST: It's not looking good for marriage equality. The New York Daily News is reporting:

As of this moment, the outlook for the same-sex marriage bill is not good, and it appears likely that the measure will not come up for a vote when the Senate convenes at noon for a

A source involved in the negotiations said definitively: "It is not coming to the floor."

-------------

See my post on the steep climb this bill faces.

Though I reported yesterday the Democrats, who control the chamber, were negotiating late into the night Monday on whether or not to submit the bill for a vote, Newsday reports that no final decision was made. The state's $3.2 billion deficit may take up the whole session.

This day has been a long time coming (if it happens at all). One of the many reasons it took so long is the bill's biggest foe, Sen. Ruben Diaz (D), who I've posted on before about his ridiculous hypocrisy.

New York Times wrote a profile on him today. Diaz objects to being called a homophobe.

Two of his brothers are gay, he murmurs, one of them recently deceased. So is a granddaughter. There is an old friend who works for him in the Senate. And a former campaign aide.

“I love them. I love them,” says Mr. Díaz, who grew up one of 17 children in Puerto Rico. “But I don’t believe in what they are doing. They are my brothers. They are my family.”

His voice rises again. “So how could I be a homophobe?"

Uhm, easily. Suppressing the rights of LGBT citizens from living full lives so they're not equal to yours is homophobia.

He's one of those hurdles we have to clear. The Democrats have control of the chamber 32-30. Obviously Diaz, who is Democrat, won't vote with most of his party. So we need some moderate Republican support.

ACTION: If you're a New Yorker, contact your Senator and tell them to vote for marriage equality!

New York's Marriage Equality Bill Faces Uphill Battle As Tuesday's Senate Vote Looms

UPDATE 3 5:36pm: Mayor Bloomberg urges the senate to vote for marriage equality.

UPDATE 2 2:52pm PST: Openly gay NYC City Council speaker Christine Quinn spoke on the senate marriage vote. See video of the press conference at the bottom of the post.

UPDATE: Making things worse, the National Organization for Marriage just announced plans “to build a $500,000 war chest to fund a primary challenge to any Republican senator who votes for gay marriage – regardless of the outcome of Tuesday’s vote in the State Senate.” Read the press release and more at LGBT POV.

Tomorrow, November 10, New York state's senate may finally hold their long-delayed vote on the marriage equality bill that Gov. David Paterson has been pushing. The special session tomorrow will include much needed votes on other state business, but the governor also added the bill to the agenda in the hopes that it will finally get voted on.

Yet the ugly head of doubt has reared, casting a shadow over tomorrow and the possibility of marriage equality passing. Democratic leaders in the Senate are expected to negotiate late into the night Monday on whether or not to place the bill up for a vote.

Democratic Senator Diane J. Savino from Staten Island supports the bill and believes there's a 70% chance of it reaching the floor, she told the New York Times.

“I’m pretty confident,” she said, adding, “I hope that I am right.”

Advocates on both sides of the issue lobbied senators over the weekend, but it was still unclear on Sunday whether the measure could attract the 32 votes needed in the State Senate for approval. (The Assembly has already passed the bill.)

------

In New York, Democrats hold a shaky 32-to-30 majority in the Senate, and some senators oppose allowing the legislation to come to the floor for a vote.

Those who favor the bill say they realize they are risking another significant defeat but are determined to get legislators on record on the issue. They also say that now may be the best time to push lawmakers to take up the bill, given that next year all 212 members of the Legislature will face re-election.

Estimates vary, but supporters of the bill believe they can count on about 25 votes for the legislation at this time.

“I think we’re starting from a position of strength,” Jason J. McGuire, executive director of New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms, told the New York Times. He opposes the bill. “I don’t believe they have the votes, and it’s an act of desperation. Our position is to maintain the votes we have, and people are certainly in contact with our senators and we are encouraging that. This is not going to pass.”

Another obstacle facing the marriage bill lies in Sen. Pedro Espada, who earlier in the year defected to the Republicans, causing the Senate to have a power split 31-31. This coup caused the turmoil that delayed the bill in the first place.

He's back with the Democrats and supports marriage equality, but Elizabeth Benjamin at NY Daily News says he has a plan that could cause problems.

Espada suggested linking the marriage bill, which Gov. David Paterson has put on the calendar for Tuesday's session, with the farm workers' rights bill that he (and the DN) have been championing for some time.

"Sen. Pedro Espada is linking the two, and I am writing to the governor, dismayed as I am that migrant workers is not on, and I think there's probably more support for that," the majority leader told me, lapsing into that rather odd habit he has of referring to himself in the third person.

For those trying to get a read on whether the marriage bill will come up for a vote Tuesday, this cannot come as good news. It seems to be that Espada is setting himself up with an out should the bill come to the floor - or, at the very least, an excuse for voting "no".

Espada Jr. Links Gay Marriage To Farm Workers' Rights from Elizabeth Benjamin on Vimeo.

So with the odds stacking against the passage of marriage, why take a vote? Supporters say it's important to know where the legislators stand and that next year, the chances of it passing could be worse.

Towleroad talked to Gov. Paterson in an exclusive interview, asking him why it's important to vote now.

Says Paterson of the marriage equality bill: "People who've lived together for 10, 20, 30 years are waiting, hoping that this legislation will pass while they still have the breath to elicit an 'I do' on the altar, and I think it's time that it happens, and if I have to see legislation fail so I can identify who voted against it to better persuade them, then I'll take that chance."

Of the bill's fate should Senators vote on it, Paterson says: "In this case, I have a feeling if it got on the floor it would be voted up."

Paterson also says people should see opportunity in defeats like the ballot measure in Maine: "I think there's this feeling that if legislation fails that it's this colossal loss for the cause. I find it to be motivational. I think that the public referendum in Maine should inspire us that there's more work to do, more persuasion to be made, more understanding to be reached, and more sensitivity to be displayed, and those of us who have been a catalyst for marriage equality have to regroup and work harder."

ACTION: Empire State Pride Agenda has called on New Yorkers to contact their Senators and urge them to vote for marriage equality. Click on the image below or on this link to get your Senator's information and call NOW!



Christine Quinn:



Related:

• 700 Clergy and Lay Leaders from Across New York State Call on New York Senate to Pass Marriage Bill
• HuffPost:Marriage Equality in New York: The Time Is Now

BREAKING: New York Senate Expected to Vote on Marriage Equality Bill Tuesday

After much speculation on whether or not the New York Senate would finally vote on the state's marriage equality bill, Gov. David Paterson announced that he has called the senate in for a special session Tuesday and has added the bill to the agenda.

From Empire State Pride Agenda Executive Director Alan Van Capelle:

November 5, 2009--“Marriage equality has been an issue Governor Paterson has long championed and we are thrilled he has called the State Senate back to Albany next Tuesday and put the marriage equality bill on the agenda. We now expect that we will get the respectful debate and vote that we’ve been waiting for since June.

There is never a wrong time or inconvenient time to debate human rights legislation because it’s always the right time. As long as a group of New Yorkers are being denied equal rights, addressing issues like marriage equality must always be a priority. Support for providing equal rights to LGBT New Yorkers has always been bipartisan, and we expect that this bill will be no different.

We look forward to hearing our lives and our families debated on the Senate floor next Tuesday. It’s now time that each of the 62 State Senators vote their conscience on this bill that has great implications for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers in all parts of the state.”

Openly gay Senator Tom Duane, sponsor of the bill, has claimed that he has all the votes needed to get it passed. The bill has already been approved by the state Assembly.

ACTION: If you live in New York, call your senator!

We all eagerly wait to see a victory. It could act as a great sage for the wounds inflicted in Maine.

New York Gov. Paterson Announces Possible November 10 Vote on Marriage Equality Bill

New York Gov. David Paterson has announced a November 10 special legislative session for the state senate to not only finish pressing budgetary matters, but to also vote on the his marriage equality bill.

After a tumultuous power coup rocked the senate earlier this past summer, the marriage equality bill didn't look like it would survive, despite having already passed the state Assembly.

With the governor's and openly gay sponsor Sen. Tom Duane's persistence , the bill is hoping to see its day in the sun. Just last week at an Empire State Pride Agenda event, Paterson promised that the bill would get its vote.

“The special session is expected to include a possible vote by the senate to give final legislative approval to a same-sex marriage bill,” reported WCBS-TV. “Paterson has predicted the bill will be passed and signed into law in coming weeks.”

ACTION: If you're a New Yorker, join Empire State Pride Agenda's action and call your senator and tell them to vote for the marriage equality bill!

New York Gov. Paterson Believes Marriage Equality to Pass Within Coming Weeks

New York state has seen its share of drama in the senate this past year. The state's marriage equality bill, pushed by Gov. David Paterson, passed the state Assembly back in May, but by the time it advanced the Senate experienced a power coup and the bill lay dormant.

Now that Gov. Paterson is calling yet another special session, he believes it will pass.

The New York Times reports:

Paterson said he expects the state Senate to give the measure final legislative approval in weeks ahead and then he will sign it, making New York the seventh state to legalize same-sex marriage. Paterson can't force the Senate to take up the bill and admitted to reporters he can't guarantee its approval, but he says he's now confident it will pass, as advocates and sponsors of the bill in Albany have been quietly working to build support.


------


Paterson's statements Thursday came at the fall dinner in Manhattan of the influential gay rights group Empire State Pride Agenda. He said New York will have marriage equality ''as a result of a law we will pass in the New York Senate, already passed in the Assembly, and will be signed by the governor, just in the next few weeks.''


The 1,200 people at the dinner cheered Paterson's remarks.


"No longer in New York" will same-sex couples have to worry about insurance coverage, being allowed to visit each other hospitals, or whether they will be guaranteed the same rights as other married couples under law, he said.


Paterson said he's spoken to advocates lobbying senators and "they believe if I put the bill on the calendar, it will pass. ... I believe it will pass."

Here's Paterson's speech thanks to Good As You.





Elizabeth Benjamin of the New York Daily News attended the dinner and reported that Empire State Pride Agenda's Executive Director Alan Van Capelle had harsh words for the Senators, including Tom Duane, the openly gay sponsor of the marriage equality bill.

"Tonight I say the time for making cases is past," Van Capelle said. "The time for petty partisan finger pointing is past. The time for lame excuses, for botched maneuvers and simple, plain old foot dragging is past."


"The time to get this bill to the floor of the New York state Senate is now. The time for the state Senate to acknowledge our existence is now the time for us to hear our lives - our lives! - debated on the floor of the New York state Senate is now."


"Sen. John Sampson, you’re the leader of the state Senate. Sen. Tom Duane, you have told us on multiple occasions that you have the votes to pass this bill. Give us the dignity the rights and the respect we deserve bring this bill to a floor for a debate and a vote. If we win let us celebrate and if we go down we know what we need to do in 2010. Period."


------


"We have campaigned for you. We have raised money for you we have supported you in every way imaginable, and we should have no patience for these sorry summer soldiers," Van Capelle said.


"Now is not the time for half hearted you must risk yourselves as we risk ourselves every day. We must fight and work for equality as we fight and work for equality every day and if you do not, we can find other friends who will do that job for us and do it better than you."

I feel his frustration. The New York Senate has been ridiculed for its incompetence and puerile behavior, including locking each other out of chambers or holding simultaneous competitive sessions in an effort to gain power.

We have heard numerous times from both Gov. Paterson and Sen. Duane that the bill would pass within a matter of weeks, and then those weeks would pass with no action.

So I guess I'll believe it when I see it.

ACTION: If you're a New Yorker, join Empire State Pride Agenda's action and call your senator and tell them to vote for the marriage equality bill!

News Roundup: Pat Robertson Says Gays "Want to Destroy Marriage"; NY to Vote on Marriage Equality?; Public Debate on Question 1

Pat Robertson Says That I, and Many Other Gays, Want to Destroy Marriage



Pat Robertson: "I don't really believe that homosexuals want to get married. What they want to do is destroy marriage and some of the other things that we have in our society. There's been an outright campaign against the traditional moral values that have grown up in a Judeo-Christian culture. And they don't want any, any hindrance to their particular lifestyle or their particular way of having sex, that's what it amounts to. Whether or not this will be something that will change the country. The country has voted overwhelmingly in favor of traditional marriage. They don't want homosexual marriage. But you find a few states - Maine, Massachusetts, Iowa - who have voted them into the legislature. The people have their say - the people say 'No way!'"

Uhm, Pat - the people had their say when they Democratically voted in their legislature. Just saying. And my wanting to get married is somehow my effort to destroy marriage? Someone lacks the skill of simple cause and effect logic.

New York Senate to Finally Vote on Marriage Equality Bill?

The New York Daily News is reporting that Gov. David Paterson will yet again call a special session to deal with the state's budgetary problems and to vote on the long-delayed marriage equality bill.

"The governor has always said that same-sex marriage will be on the agenda," a spokeswoman said.

A source said gay marriage will be on the agenda to force the Senate to deal with it one way or the other.

Paterson's political team sees the issue as one way to start raising his historic low poll numbers.

Recently, Sen. Tom Duane, the bill's sponsor, had stated he believed that the bill would get a vote by the end of the year. He had also stated at one point that he had enough votes to get it passed, but this was before the power struggle that rocked the senate.

The WCBSTV is now reporting, "Supporters have quietly been trying to rebuild a coalition of 32 senators needed to pass a bill in the chamber, which has a 32-30 Democratic majority." Hopefully Duane has succeeded.

ACTION: New Yorkers, join Empire State Pride Agenda's action and call your senator, urging them to support marriage equality.

Public Debate Over Maine's Question 1

Over the next two weeks GLAD Civil Rights Project Director Mary Bonauto, a Maine resident, will debate Stand for Marriage Maine’s Marc Mutty on the question of preserving Maine’s marriage equality law.

The following debates leading up to the November 3 vote will be available to view or listen to online:

Thursday, October 22nd, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Live debate on MPBN radio
Moderated by Susan Sharon, Assistant News Director at MPBN
Listen at www.mpbn.org

Monday, October 26th, 7:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Live debate on “207” on WCSH-TV and WLBZ-TV
(NBC affiliate, Channel 6 in Portland, Channel 2 in Bangor)
Moderated by “207” hosts Rob Caldwell and Kathleen Shannon
Watch at www.wcsh6.com or www.wlbz2.com

Wednesday, October 28th, 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Live debate on WMTW-TV (ABC affiliate, Channel 8 in Portland)
Cosponsored by Maine Today Publications (Portland Press Herald, Maine
Sunday Telegram, Kennebec Journal and Central Maine Morning Sentinel)Moderated by WMTW-TV news anchor Tory Ryden
Watch at www.wmtw.com

Thursday, October 29th, 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.
Live debate on WGAN-AM radio in Portland
Moderated by WGAN Morning News co-hosts Mike Violette and Ken Altshuler
www.wgan.com

Thursday, October 29th, 5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Live debate on WGME-TV (CBS affiliate, Channel 13 in Portland)
Moderated byWGME-TV news anchor Greg Lagerquist
Watch at www.wgme.com

Below is Mary's testimony at the marriage equality public hearing before Maine's Judicial Committee back in April:



(H/T Louise)

Conservative Christian Group Focus on the Family Donates $98K to Yes on 1 Campaign

The Gazette reports:

Last year, Focus on the Family donated nearly $450,000 to support a California proposition outlawing gay marriage.
This year, the Colorado Springs-based organization is setting its sights on Maine, but the outlay is a lot smaller — both because Maine is a lot smaller, and because of the economy.

As of Sept. 30, Focus had donated $98,500 to Stand for Marriage Maine, a coalition supporting an initiative on the Nov. 3 ballot to overturn the state Legislature’s legalization of gay marriage. Efforts began in May to collect signatures to get the measure on the ballot.

Jenny Tyree, marriage analyst for Focus Action, the political arm of the Colorado Springs family group, said the creation of the measure shows that people, not politicians, should decide the parameters of marriage.

“Marriage is the safest in the hands of the people,” Tyree said. “Politicians are swayed by a lot of things.”

ACTION: Go to NO on 1/Protect Maine Equality to help protect the existing right of gays and lesbians to marry.

Arizona Based Alliance Defense Fund Fights New York's Same-Sex Marriage Recognition Policies

Today New York's high court will be hearing two cases concerning the state's recognition of same-sex marriages legally performed outside its borders. The cases were brought by the anti-LGBT Alliance Defense Fund from Scottsdale, AZ whose grimy hands can be found at work in Iowa and in other marriage cases.

Though they lost in the lower courts, they naturally refused to give up. Because c'mon, what happens in New York is the Arizona-based organization's business.

The first case is ADF's challenge against the 2007 State Department of Civil Service policy that extended health insurance benefits to same-sex partners of state and local government employees who legally married outside of New York.

Again, this is of dire concern to Arizonians. Especially since the ADF is complaining that this is the misuse of New York state funds.

Yeah.

The second case challenges the 2006 administrative order of Westchester County executive Andrew J. Spano which directed officials to recognize same-sex unions performed outside New York.

Again, ADF argues this is "illegal, unconstitutional and resulted in unlawful disbursement of public funds."

The lower courts basically told ADF to shut up, saying both cases involved "valid exercises of [state] authority." But unfortunately, ADF didn't take their advice and appealed.

This may all become moot if New York state Sen. Tom Duane is right and the state's marriage equality bill passes before the end of the year. Of course then, opponents will throw what is now the obligatory childlike tantrum and try to figure out a way to put it on a ballot.

Case summary embedded below.

ADF Cases Against NY's Marriage Equality Recognition

New York Senator Tom Duane "Certain" Marriage Equality Bill Will Pass By End of Year

New York's Sen. Tom Duane, the openly gay sponsor of the state's troubled marriage equality bill, told the Advocate Sunday that he was “certain” the bill would be passed “before the end of the year.” This is a shift from when he thought it would pass in September.

Asked when he expected the marriage equality bill would pass, the senator said he was “optimistic by the November election, which would help us with Maine. I am optimistic about that, and certain before the end of the year.”

Pressed for a more specific timetable, however, Duane gestured as if he were looking into a Magic 8 Ball, an analogy he used previously to describe the obscure and chaotic politics of the New York state senate, where Democrats hold a narrow majority. “It’s Albany,” said Duane. “So, you know.”

This bill has faced many an obstacle. In April the unpopular Gov. David Paterson introduced the bill and it passed the state Assembly in May. On to the senate it went only to be stalled after a power coup took place and all drama brook loose.

Soon it was believed that the bill died after extraordinary session after extraordinary session failed to get childish Senate to address state issues.

With a special session called in September to deal with the state's budget, Gov. Paterson announced he would resubmit the marriage equality legislation which followed with Sen. Duane and the governor stating they believed there would be a vote by the end of the month.

But it didn't happen.

So this new quote of Sen. Duane in the Advocate now pushes the deadline of a hopeful vote some time before next year.

Let's keep our fingers crossed and support the efforts of our allies in the New York Senate.