11/10/2009
Update from Albany on the New York Marriage Equality Vote
UPDATED
Josh Meltzer, Communications Director at the Empire State Pride Agenda, will be updating Towleroad periodically over the next day or so from Albany with updates on what's happening with regard to the marriage equality vote. Governor David Paterson has called a special session for today, November 10, beginning at noon.
I'll be updating this post throughout the day with news related to the marriage vote, along with Josh's updates.
The NYT is reporting that the vote has been delayed:
"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. But not enough Republicans have committed yet to voting yes, legislators said. The Democrats have a slim 32-30 majority in the Senate. 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.'"
It's likely that a vote on marriage equality would follow a vote on the Deficit Reduction Plan (DRP), which will come up. How soon is anybody's guess.
*****
1:17pm
I've received word from Josh, who has been in and out of the Senate chamber, that it remains very important for people to keep the pressure on their senators to bring this bill to the floor for a vote.
While negotiations remain ongoing, and there have been reports that it may not come to the floor today, the situation is still fluid, and it will likely be a long day.
*****
The NYT yesterday published a profile on Senator Ruben Diaz Sr., who has two gay brothers and insists he is not a homophobe, yet is perhaps marriage equality's #1 foe in the NY legislature.
*****
Writes Josh from Albany:
8:45 pm, 11/9/09
Reporters are increasingly talking about a vote tomorrow. This may seem like a trivial fact, but when political reporters in Albany start talking in definite terms about a vote, things are looking good. With a supposedly controversial legislation like marriage equality, reporters tend to doubt until the very end that legislative leaders will bring the bill up for a vote. Only after talking to enough sources will they start talking in terms of “when” instead of “if”
Important allies are beginning to weigh in significantly. Not only did we release earlier today the names of 700 clergy from across the state who are calling for passage of the marriage bill, Citizen Union—a major good government group—and mayor Bloomberg have released statements and letters tonight calling for a vote and advocating passage in the Senate.
Jerry Nadler’s Chief of Staff Amy Rutkin has taken personal time to join us in the war room, as has and longtime political operative and Vice Chair of the New York State Democratic Committee Emily Giske.
To be clear—some sort of action by the State Senate tomorrow is required by law. Because Governor Paterson has put the bill on the agenda, the Senate needs to actively choose whether or not to debate and vote on the bill. Not taking up the bill would send a strong message to LGBT New Yorkers that the Senate does not feel that our families are worthy of at minimum debating our lives, and therefore unacceptable.
"Following up on its successful campaign to defeat Dede Scozzafava in NY-23, The National Organization for Marriage’s (NOM) Executive Director Brian Brown 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. 'There is no Republican Senate district in New York where the majority of people support gay marriage. Maine has made that very clear,' said Brian Brown. 'The GOP should learn from Dede Scozzafava's experience: voting for gay marriage does not pay.'"
Earlier...
Josh Meltzer, 5:30 pm 11/9/09, from Albany:
We’re set up in the executive suite of an Albany hotel. The room is buzzing as the group of about 15 gets ready to watch Gov. Paterson’s address of the joint session of the NYS Legislature. This will be the nerve center of the campaign in the hours leading up to the vote, and we’ll be working around the clock to make sure that a) the marriage bill goes to the Senate floor for a debate and a vote and b) that the bill passes when the vote comes.
Here’s what we know right now:
The bill is on the Governor’s extraordinary session agenda tomorrow. The session, which has been called primarily to address the state’s budget deficit, is right now scheduled to begin at noon tomorrow.
In his speech, Governor Paterson noted that “justice delayed is justice denied.” And, to applause, asked the Senate to take up and pass legislation “this week.”
Several Senators have written letters to Senate leadership calling for a vote tomorrow. These Senators—Craig Johnson, Dan Squadron, Eric Schneiderman, Velmanette Montgomery, Jeff Klein, Liz Krueger, Eric Adams, Kevin Parker, Diane Savino and Jose Serrano—are all sponsors of the bill (in addition to 9 others) and are continuing to work with us to make sure we get the needed votes.
The most important thing that people can do to support lobbying activities is to call their State Senators. Hearing that constituents support marriage equality on the eve of a potential vote can make all the difference. You can believe that the anti-marriage forces are doing it, and we need to make sure that we’re doing it even more. Get your friends and family—LGBT or straight—to call their Senators, too. You can leave a message in less than a minute. It’s easy and it’s incredibly effective.
Democratic Senator Diane Savino told the Times today that she believes that there’s a 70 % chance that the marriage bill will come to the floor for a vote tomorrow. If you know anything about Albany, you know that this is a very promising statement.
Republican Minority Leader Dean Skelos has stated several times now that he will allow his conference to vote their conscience. Every piece of LGBT civil rights legislation has passed because of Democrat AND Republican votes. We expect that this time will be no different.
Posted 1:31 PM EST by Andy Towle | Permalink
Like it?
Subscribe to FREE Towleroad daily headlines with our RSS feed!
RECENT STORIES:
Comments
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
I won't be holding my breath, but I will be keeping fingers crossed.
Posted by: Mike in Brooklyn | Nov 9, 2009 6:30:30 PM
This will never be approved tomorrow.
Posted by: Ben | Nov 9, 2009 10:19:42 PM
New Yorker's Family Research Foundation- Do you guys know about these people? To my horror, it showed up on a friend's groups on Facebook.
Posted by: stephen | Nov 10, 2009 12:20:05 AM
New Yorker's Family Research Foundation and New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms are the same crew.
If you read the NY Times piece at the link in the Meltzer letter, you'll see Jason J. McGuire quoted. He's the guy behind both orgs.
For a laugh, compare and contrast both sites:
http://www.nycf.info/
http://www.nyfrf.org/
Not much contrast to speak of, actually.
If you're seeing it pop up online, it's probably because a crew of Mormon astroturfers called the DNA are busy pushing these two identical orgs.
New York Marriage Equality: Astroturfing - Courtesy of the Same Ten (Mormon) People
http://www.chinoblanco.com/2009/05/new-york-marriage-equality-astroturfing.html
Fingers crossed, indeed.
Posted by: Chino Blanco | Nov 10, 2009 3:40:26 AM
The Senate will work on the budget stuff.. and then say "Woops.. sorry we didn't have time to work on the marriage bill. Maybe next time." If this happens, we shouldn't take it lightly -- this is a huge affront to the gay dollars that help to get some of these jokers elected.
Posted by: Anonymous | Nov 10, 2009 7:29:30 AM
The Reuben Diaz profile infuriated me. He plays the "don't hate me, it's my religion card," but the thing he doesn't understand is he is not fighting to stop other things (he mentions dancing and drinking) his religion does not approve of.
I wish religious people would understand that their values are not everyone else's values. If they are against gay marriage or abortion, fine. Don't have an abortion; don't be gay and get married. But don't stop other people from exercising a constitutional right to handle their own affairs as they see fit.
Posted by: Alex | Nov 10, 2009 9:44:44 AM
Sounds like this thing is dead in the water according to this morning's news reports.
Posted by: Pender | Nov 10, 2009 11:57:54 AM
The day we STOP tolerating this government-approved "pay for acceptance" approach to equal human/family rights and the day we REFUSE to be treated as "something which is voted upon" will be the day we find our power.
MONEY IS POWER; nothing else will wield as much power as money. Talk really is cheap - action requires guts, risk, and has its dangers. But how many of us are willing to go to jail or take a bullet to resist and be free from this religious tyranny?
Posted by: John Bisceglia | Nov 10, 2009 1:52:32 PM
The only thing worse than that homophobe Diaz, a term he disputes because of gay family and friends, is the spineless creeps in the Senate who do not want their vote to be known. Same shit with DC. Obama and the like will throw us aside, to get elected.
At least we know where this prick stands.
Posted by: patrick nyc | Nov 10, 2009 1:56:02 PM
Ruben Diaz Sr. et all are agents of oppression.
Posted by: Malo | Nov 10, 2009 2:07:00 PM
Of course he's homophobic. If he weren't her would approve SECULAR marriage for same sex couples. It has nothing to do with his phony baloney religious beliefs. His gay family members friends should puke on him when he tries to spin his hatred and bigotry. He should be impeached for putting his religious convictions ahead of his civic responsibilities. It is the NY State Constitution that is his highest authority as a politician not his magic book.
Posted by: Lucifer | Nov 10, 2009 4:11:06 PM
365gay.com is reporting it's off the Senate's agenda.
Posted by: VSo | Nov 10, 2009 4:14:16 PM
What? Not even a vote???
ESPA's Alan Van Capelle should be called to task. Once again our so called allies - the Senate Democrats - have failed to bring this measure to the floor. Alan promised for years that once the Democrats took control of the Senate, marriage equality would move forward. His strategic judgment is way off then and he doesn't seem to be able to get our "allies" to move this forward now.
Posted by: evan | Nov 10, 2009 8:40:35 PM