After pushing, unsuccessfully, for same-sex marriage in Albany, the seven-year director of the Empire State Pride Agenda has left his job and is now working with the New York City comptroller.
Alan van Capelle’s strategy to legalize same-sex marriage in New York hid a major roadblock last year when the Democratic’s narrow majority the State Read More
Harold Ford Jr.’s announcement this morning that he supports same-sex marriage isn’t doing that much to assuage criticism from those who remember that Ford voted twice to change the U.S. constitution to ban same-sex marriage.
In a statement, the executive director of the Empire State Pride Agenda, Alan Van Capelle, slammed Ford as a Read More
Yesterday, The Advocate named Senator Kirsten Gillibrand one of the magazine’s five People of the Year, celebrating her efforts to pass same-sex marriage and repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.
But Ms. Gillibrand would prefer you think of it more like a lifetime achievement award.
“It was by no means an introduction,” Gillibrand told The Read More
ALBANY—What went wrong?
Despite the spin, most everyone pushing for a bill legalizing same-sex marriage privately acknowledges that the 24-38 loss in the State Senate was a whopper, and while theories abound, there’s no clear explaination for how the bill was so soundly defeated.
Senator Eric Schneiderman started by blaming Republicans.
“If you Read More
ALBANY—The path is now truly clear for the State Senate to consider a bill legalizing same-sex marriage today.
The legislature is still in extraordinary session, so the measure had to be re-passed by the State Assembly to become law. That chamber has previously approved the bill twice, and affirmed it once again Read More
ALBANY—Alan Van Capelle, executive director of the Empire State Pride Agenda, just said he believes “we had the votes back in June, and I still believe we have the votes today” to pass the same-sex marriage bill.
Van Capelle has been pushing furiously for a vote this year, even though he is nearly alone Read More
ALBANY—A vote on same-sex marriage will be held “at a date not certain between now and the end of the year,” David Paterson just promised publicly.
“This is the first time the Senate leadership has indicated that it will support a vote on marriage equality,” Paterson said. He also committed to putting the bill Read More
ALBANY—With tomorrow’s expected vote on same-sex marriage, advocates of the legislation say they’re busing in 700 clergy members from around the state.
“This list represents a diverse group of faith traditions and congregations from all corners of our state. The leaders of these religious institutions understand the spiritual value of respecting all members of Read More
ALBANY—David Paterson officially officially proclaimed a special session on Tuesday to consider his $3 billion plan to bridge a mid-year deficit as well as other miscellaneous legislative business, even though no budget-cutting agreements have been reached among the governor and legislative leaders.
Paterson’s formal proclamation for the session is a political wish list: Read More
Governor David Paterson has promised to put same-sex marriage on the agenda when he calls lawmakers back to Albany for a special session to deal with business left undone since the coup back in June.
“Marriage equality will be on the calendar,” Paterson told an audience at the Empire State Pride Agenda’s annual fund-raiser Read More
