City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said after meeting with undecided state lawmaker she feels “very optimistic” that same-sex marriage legislation will eventually pass.
In a brief telephone interview on her way back from Albany, Quinn told me she met with Democratic Senators Ruth Hassell-Thompson of the Bronx and George Onorato of Queens, Republican State Senator Andrew Lanza of Staten Island, and others who have not publicly taken a position on the issue.
Quinn, who is gay and has a background in gay-rights activism, said they were “very personal meetings" in which "people didn’t seem to be focused on the politics” or on “constituent reactions.” She said it was unclear if that made it easier or harder to convince them to support the bill.
She declined to say whether or not she agreed with Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith waiting to bring the bill to a vote until he is sure there are the 32 votes needed to pass it. David Paterson has previously encouraged the Senate to vote as soon as possible.
“We need 32,” said Quinn, who plans to go to Albany again to talk to more Republican lawmakers about the bill.
UPDATE: She also met with Valesky.
