Kruger, Sampson keep vote on gay marriage under wraps
By Thomas Tracy
Comment
The “nays” that could torpedo the gay marriage bill in the State Senate could come from Brooklyn legislators.
According to a poll done by this paper, at least one State Senator -- Bay Ridge Republican legislator Marty Golden -- has voiced his opposition to the bill pushed forward by Governor David Paterson last week.
But while all of Brooklyn’s other Democratic State Senators have gone on record in favor of same-sex marriage, Canarsie State Senator John Sampson said he is “undecided” on the issue. Sheepshead Bay-Mill Basin State Senator Carl Kruger did not return repeated calls for comment.
With such a tenuous hold on the majority, one or two Democrats voting against same sex marriage could cause a repeat of 2007, when the bill passed the Assembly, but was never called for a vote in the then Republican-controlled Senate.
Already, State Senator Majority Leader Malcolm Smith has announced that he would not bring the same sex marriage act to the floor until he has secured all of the votes needed to pass.
The gay marriage bill was immediately shot down by Golden.
“Governor Paterson has made serious misjudgments in the past,” he said. “Our state is in economic free-fall and there are many issues facing our citizens. Families are worried about putting bread on their table, and Governor Paterson decides now is the time to trot out a same sex marriage proposal. By introducing this bill on the day after Archbishop Dolan was installed, is not just a slap in the face to Catholics, but to all New Yorkers who respect what the Catholic Church is and what it stands for.”
“I am very disappointed with the Governor and I feel badly for all New Yorkers on this day,” he said.
Political insiders said that Kruger, the Finance Committee chair, won’t chime in on the issue anytime soon.
“[Kruger] says he doesn’t want to debate this in the press and won’t talk about it until the vote is brought to the floor, if it’s ever brought to the floor,” one insider said.
The legislation introduced to both the Assembly and Senate last week is the same as the 2007 Marriage Equity Bill, which passed the Assembly 85 to 61 in 2007.
If approved, the bill will amend the domestic relations law in relation to the ability to marry, by giving same-sex couples the legal right to wed. It also ensures that the law “does not improperly intrude into matters of conscience or religious belief,” meaning that clergy and religious leaders would not be compelled to perform same-sex marriages if they don’t want to.
While the Assembly passed the bill, many from the Brooklyn delegation didn’t vote for the measure.
Assemblymembers Peter Abbate of Dyker Heights, Bill Colton of Bensonhurst, Steven Cymbrowitz of Sheepshead Bay and Dov Hikind of Borough Park voted against the bill. Crown Heights Assemblymember Kareem Camara and Brighton Beach legislator Alec Brook-Krasny abstained when the vote was called.
Cymbrowitz said that if Speaker Sheldon Silver brings the bill to the floor for a vote this year, he will again vote against it, even though he says he is personally in favor of gay marriage.
“I’ve been elected to represent my constituents,” he said. “In my district, there are Catholics, Orthodox Jews and Sephardic Jews and many of them are against same sex marriage.”
According to a poll done by this paper, at least one State Senator -- Bay Ridge Republican legislator Marty Golden -- has voiced his opposition to the bill pushed forward by Governor David Paterson last week.
But while all of Brooklyn’s other Democratic State Senators have gone on record in favor of same-sex marriage, Canarsie State Senator John Sampson said he is “undecided” on the issue. Sheepshead Bay-Mill Basin State Senator Carl Kruger did not return repeated calls for comment.
With such a tenuous hold on the majority, one or two Democrats voting against same sex marriage could cause a repeat of 2007, when the bill passed the Assembly, but was never called for a vote in the then Republican-controlled Senate.
Already, State Senator Majority Leader Malcolm Smith has announced that he would not bring the same sex marriage act to the floor until he has secured all of the votes needed to pass.
The gay marriage bill was immediately shot down by Golden.
“Governor Paterson has made serious misjudgments in the past,” he said. “Our state is in economic free-fall and there are many issues facing our citizens. Families are worried about putting bread on their table, and Governor Paterson decides now is the time to trot out a same sex marriage proposal. By introducing this bill on the day after Archbishop Dolan was installed, is not just a slap in the face to Catholics, but to all New Yorkers who respect what the Catholic Church is and what it stands for.”
“I am very disappointed with the Governor and I feel badly for all New Yorkers on this day,” he said.
Political insiders said that Kruger, the Finance Committee chair, won’t chime in on the issue anytime soon.
“[Kruger] says he doesn’t want to debate this in the press and won’t talk about it until the vote is brought to the floor, if it’s ever brought to the floor,” one insider said.
ADVERTISEMENT
If approved, the bill will amend the domestic relations law in relation to the ability to marry, by giving same-sex couples the legal right to wed. It also ensures that the law “does not improperly intrude into matters of conscience or religious belief,” meaning that clergy and religious leaders would not be compelled to perform same-sex marriages if they don’t want to.
While the Assembly passed the bill, many from the Brooklyn delegation didn’t vote for the measure.
Assemblymembers Peter Abbate of Dyker Heights, Bill Colton of Bensonhurst, Steven Cymbrowitz of Sheepshead Bay and Dov Hikind of Borough Park voted against the bill. Crown Heights Assemblymember Kareem Camara and Brighton Beach legislator Alec Brook-Krasny abstained when the vote was called.
Cymbrowitz said that if Speaker Sheldon Silver brings the bill to the floor for a vote this year, he will again vote against it, even though he says he is personally in favor of gay marriage.
“I’ve been elected to represent my constituents,” he said. “In my district, there are Catholics, Orthodox Jews and Sephardic Jews and many of them are against same sex marriage.”
 |
 |
|
| And the answer is...one bright Brooklynite - Local college student earns spot on ‘Jeopardy!’ college challenge | Ouch! Beware of credit card fine print and penalty pricing |
Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of yournabe.com.
MikeNYC wrote on Apr 25, 2009 1:44 AM:
" At least this puts these guys on record as opposing equality and it will be remembered next election by many of us. I've no doubt that campaigns will be launched to unseat people who oppose equality for all. It's just un-American. "
Tad wrote on Apr 25, 2009 7:35 AM:
" Cymbrowitz said that if Speaker Sheldon Silver brings the bill to the floor for a vote this year, he will again vote against it, even though he says he is personally in favor of gay marriage.
I'm all in favor of inter-racial marriage personally but some constituents in my district oppose it.
I'm all in favor of of women voting personally but some constituents in my district oppose it.
I'm all in favor of moving to the district in which Cymbro lives and voting his tuckis out of office in favor of somebody with a spine. "
I'm all in favor of inter-racial marriage personally but some constituents in my district oppose it.
I'm all in favor of of women voting personally but some constituents in my district oppose it.
I'm all in favor of moving to the district in which Cymbro lives and voting his tuckis out of office in favor of somebody with a spine. "
Marco Luxe wrote on Apr 25, 2009 2:19 PM:
" Let State Senator Carl Kruger know the true American value is Equal Protection of the Laws. That means equality for you, and equality for me. There's no principled way to be against Marriage Equality.
His email:
kruger@senate.state.ny.us
District Office
Office of State Senator Carl Kruger
2201 Avenue U
Brooklyn, NY 11229
Tel: (718) 743-8610
Fax: (718) 743-5958 "
His email:
kruger@senate.state.ny.us
District Office
Office of State Senator Carl Kruger
2201 Avenue U
Brooklyn, NY 11229
Tel: (718) 743-8610
Fax: (718) 743-5958 "
wayne wrote on Apr 30, 2009 4:36 PM:
" Call me a Redneck, or old fashion, but as far as im concerned, same sex marriage, is TABOO! ANY-ONE show me or anyne else, in ANY BIBLE, where two of the same sex are doing the WILDTHING, I'll shoot this computer in the trash! PUT THAT KIND OF BEHAVIOR BACK IN THE CLOSET WHERE IT BELONGS! "
Submit a Comment
We encourage your feedback and dialog, all comments will be reviewed by our Web staff after appearing on the Web site.
|
Sara wrote on Apr 24, 2009 10:31 PM: