Erick Salgado. (Photo: Facebook)

A Democratic mayoral candidate claimed yesterday he received three death threats after an anti-gay marriage group endorsed his candidacy.

Erick Salgado, a socially conservative minister and long-shot candidate, told reporters at a Staten Island mayoral forum Monday night that he was the victim of three emailed death threats after the National Organization for Marriage, a group dedicated to fighting the legalization of same-sex marriage, endorsed him last week. 

"[The emails] said that I'm a rat and I deserve to die," Mr. Salgado told Politicker after the forum. "It was because that day I got the official endorsement, the NOM, they mentioned that [in the email]."

Mr. Salgado said the emails arrived from three different people and all criticized his NOM endorsement, though he does not know who sent the threats.  He first read the threats, he said, on his cell phone, and they were sent to his official campaign email account.

"It makes me nervous, because of my children, I get nervous," he said.

Politicker reached out to the Salgado campaign to inquire about whether the threats were reported to the police department and will update if we receive a response. The NYPD did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Mr. Salgado is the only Democrat in the race opposed to same-sex marriage. He is attempting to build a coalition of conservative Latinos and Orthodox Jews and has the backing of a prominent Russian-American media mogul in south Brooklyn.

Senator Rubén Díaz addresses the anti-gay marriage crowd in D.C. (Photo: Díaz's office)

As the fiery Rev. Rubén Díaz Sr., a New York State Senator, thundered against same-sex marriage in the nation's capital, his son, Bronx Borough President Rubén Díaz Jr., was about to do the very opposite. The younger Díaz was joining a wave of politicians who have recently reversed their positions in favor of gay marriage, but his father said he was unswayed by the momentum against him.

“Marriage is sacred. Marriage is an institution established by God and it should stay that way,” he said. “The majority is not always right. 2,000 years ago the majority chose the rabbi and rejected Jesus. Now, the majority are rejecting the Bible and not choosing Jesus. I know my conviction and I know I will not change my view. I could be only one in the whole world and I would not change my view.”

Mr. Díaz Sr., a Pentecostal minister, was returning from an overnight vigil and march in Washington D.C. in support of the Defense of Marriage Act when his son blasted out a statement urging the Supreme Court to strike down DOMA, which denies federal benefits to gay couples. Never shy about espousing the glory of Christ, the elder Díaz, 69, suddenly found himself publicly at odds with his ambitious son, but he said he wasn't fazed.

“The beauty of America is that people can choose what they want,” he said. “My son respects my decision to follow the Bible. This will not divide the family. A lot of people would like to see the family divided. On the contrary, the family is stronger than ever.”

His son, reclining in his borough president’s office just a long fly ball from Yankee Stadium, concurred.

“We love each other, we’re family, we just differ on views and this is just one of many views I differ on with my father,” he contended. “But this is not about him.”

A Democratic assemblyman by the time he was 23, the younger Díaz rose in the political world before his father--a heroin junkie-turned-evangelical preacher--assumed his place in the State Senate. Mr. Díaz Jr. won the borough presidency with ease a decade later. Since then, he's mulled running for public advocate and has been gabbed about in political circles as someone who could one day be the city’s first Hispanic mayor. And, citing his openly gay niece and chief of staff, he said he simply had an epiphany on the marriage subject.

“The world didn’t end when marriage equality was passed in 2011,” he explained. “It just didn’t. It didn’t affect my personal quality of life. It didn’t affect Hilda’s, my wife, or my kids. My kids aren’t worse off because of marriage equality. So people are starting to be like, 'Wait a minute, you know, then what are we against? Are we against love?'”

His father, clearly, doesn’t accept that sort of reasoning. The lone Democrat in the State Senate to vote against a bill legalizing same-sex marriage in New York two years ago, Mr. Díaz Sr. has further drawn attention to himself--beyond his fire-and-brimstone preaching--for regularly shooting off opinionated missives, confidently entitled “What You Should Know,” that sharply criticize gay marriage, abortion and stem-cell research--the latter, for example, he once equated to “Hitler using the ashes of the Jews to make bars of soap.”

But, despite the reverend's constant pronouncements to the contrary, same-sex marriage is now almost universally embraced by city elected officials and for Mr. Díaz Jr. to further climb up the political ladder he may need to ensure his 2007 vote against gay marriage doesn't become a future liability. That is why El Diario columnist Gerson Borrero, never a fan of the Díaz clan, believes the borough president's recent revelation is little more than a calculation.

“For him to say that somehow he has found a new calling, that he understands that people have a right to love whoever they fall in love with and have the same rights as any other human being and at the same time also say he found thoat out as a result of his chief of staff influencing him and then also his niece, is a weak and really dishonest crutch,” Mr. Borrero said, arguing that the younger Díaz needs to more forcefully denounce his father. “This is simply a political ploy."

For his part, Mr. Díaz Jr. said electoral ambitions had nothing to do with his announcement, which he insisted was simply the same change of heart countless others have professed.

“What I also didn’t want is for people to think I was doing it for some type of political reason, to be honest with you,” he explained. “There was much talk about perhaps me running citywide. ... There’s no major opponent against me; I’m not running citywide. I just thought that this was the time for me to do the right thing.”

Same-sex marriage supporters shout slogans in front of the US Supreme Court. (Photo: Getty)

Manhattan Congressman Jerry Nadler's constituent, Edie Windsor, is the plaintiff in the Defense of Marriage Act's U.S. Supreme Court case, and Mr. Nadler says he couldn't be pumped for the ultimate outcome.

“I am thrilled to be able to take part in this historic day,” Mr. Nadler said in a statement announcing his intention to attend U.S. v. Windsor's opening arguments tomorrow. “Our constitutional commitment to equal protection of the law requires more; that we treat all married couples with the same regard and respect. DOMA fails this simple test, and I am hopeful that the Court will strike down this shameful law and send it into the dustbin of history where it belongs.”

Mr. Nadler is the lead sponsor of the House legislation to repeal DOMA, the Respect for Marriage Act, and according to his office, "helped spearhead the Congressional amicus brief filed with the Court in support of his constituent, Edie Windsor."

Ms. Windsor, now 83, was engaged to her partner, Thea Spyer, for 40 years before marrying her in Canada in 2007. When Ms. Spyer died in 2009, the Internal Revenue Service was prohibited from treating her as a surviving spouse, costing Ms. Windsor hundreds of thousands of dollars in state and federal estate taxes. Her case, along with another on California Proposition 8's constitutionality, is being closely watched by the national media.

Some reports have suggested the Supreme Court is unlikely to end up issuing a sweeping ruling to legalize same-sex marriage in the United States.

President Barack Obama delivering his State of the Union address this evening. (Photo: Getty)

President Obama included his discussion of environmental issues and climate change after outlining initiatives to grow manufacturing jobs and before discussing plans to improve national infrastructure and help home owners. He closed this portion of his speech by describing all of these proposals as potentially spurring job growth.

"These initiatives in manufacturing, energy, infrastructure, and housing will help entrepreneurs and small business owners expand and create new jobs," President Obama said in the prepared version of his remarks.

Sandwiched in between his policies on manufacturing jobs, road and bridge construction and housing, President Obama expressed a need for the government to "do more to combat climate change." To bolster this argument, he cited several weather events, including Hurricane Sandy."

"Yes, it’s true that no single event makes a trend. But the fact is, the 12 hottest years on record have all come in the last 15. Heat waves, droughts, wildfires, and floods--all are now more frequent and intense," said the president. "We can choose to believe that Superstorm Sandy, and the most severe drought in decades, and the worst wildfires some states have ever seen were all just a freak coincidence. Or we can choose to believe in the overwhelming judgment of science--and act before it’s too late."

President Obama went on to call for a "bipartisan, market-based solution to climate change" that would "make meaningful progress on this issue while driving strong economic growth." Specifically, he called for expanding solar and wind energy initiatives, fastracking oil and gas permits to take advantage of a "natural gas boom" that he said has "led to cleaner power and greater energy independence" and funding research and technology to help natural gas burn "even cleaner." He also proposed using oil and gas revenues from public lands to "fund an Energy Security Trust that will drive new research and technology to shift our cars and trucks off oil for good." He hinted this was also a good economic move by noting it was supported by "a non-partisan coalition of CEOs and retired generals and admirals."

The President also stuck with the strategy of casting his policies on more controversial issues in terms of potential economic benefit when he brought up immigration.

"Our economy is stronger when we harness the talents and ingenuity of striving, hopeful immigrants," President Obama said. "And right now, leaders from the business, labor, law enforcement, and faith communities all agree that the time has come to pass comprehensive immigration reform."

On this front, President Obama said he would push for "strong border security" and for "establishing a responsible pathway to earned citizenship" including background checks, taxes and penalties, English language requirements and prioritization for those who have been attempting to come to the U.S. through legal channels. He closed his call for immigration reform by citing another potential economic benefit--an influx of "highly-skilled" workers.
 
"Real reform means fixing the legal immigration system to cut waiting periods, reduce bureaucracy, and attract the highly-skilled entrepreneurs and engineers that will help create jobs and grow our economy," said President Obama.
 
President Obama closed his speech by bringing up another potentially controversial issue, gun control. Though he didn't turn to economic arguments to support his plans for increased regulation of firearms, he framed the issue as a question of securing the safety of the nation's children, and as a result, far more important to the future of the nation than any plan to improve America's financial situation.

"Of course, what I’ve said tonight matters little if we don’t come together to protect our most precious resource--our children," the president began. "It has been two months since Newtown. I know this is not the first time this country has debated how to reduce gun violence. But this time is different. Overwhelming majorities of Americans ... have come together around commonsense reform."

President Obama said these "commonsense" gun control reforms include background checks and banning high-capacity magazines.

"Each of these proposals deserves a vote in Congress. If you want to vote no, that’s your choice. But these proposals deserve a vote," President Obama said. "Because in the two months since Newtown, more than a thousand birthdays, graduations, and anniversaries have been stolen from our lives by a bullet from a gun."
 
Though President Obama took on climate change, immigration reform and gun control in his speech, there were two notable hot-button issues he didn't address; gay marriage and abortion. The president only briefly alluded to gay and lesbian issues once in his speech when he described efforts to take care of the country's armed forces and cited the plan announced yesterday to provide benefits to same-sex spouses of servicemembers as an example of his administration's commitment to the troops.

"We must to protect those who serve their country abroad, and we will maintain the best military in the world," said the president. "We will invest in new capabilities, even as we reduce waste and wartime spending. We will ensure equal treatment for all service members, and equal benefits for their families--gay and straight."

Reproductive rights and the abortion debate were not mentioned at all in the president's speech. However, issue featured prominently in Senator Marco Rubio's Republican response to the State of the Union, which began on a loud, pro-life note.

"The State of the Union address is always a reminder of how unique America is," Mr. Rubio said. "But America is exceptional, because we believe that every life, at every stage, is precious."

(photo msnbc.msn.com)

While selling his book at Princeton University earlier this week, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia defended moral opposition to gay marriage by asking, “If we cannot have moral feelings against homosexuality, can we have it against murder?" According to the Associated Press, Mr. Scalia said he wasn't equating murder and homosexuality but rather making a logical argument entitled "reduction to the absurd," but Council Speaker Christine Quinn, an openly gay candidate for mayor next year, wasn't remotely satisfied with his explanation.

"It's offensive!" Ms. Quinn exclaimed on Hardball yesterday evening. "Sexual orientation is who we are as people, it's how we're created if we're the LGBT [community]. To compare that--even in a way you want to say was some philosophical exercise--to a heinous, horrible crime of murder? It's just wrong. He can say it's a slip of the tongue and that's fine and we all of them; God knows I have. Just apologize. But don't compare me to a murderer because I'm a lesbian. Just don't do it. It's wrong."

Mr. Scalia’s comments come as the Supreme Court is poised to hear two cases on gay marriage. There are concerns among LGBT activists of how the court, with its conservative faction headed by Mr. Scalia, will ultimately rule. Nevertheless, Ms. Quinn was optimistic about the outcome of the decision even as she criticized Mr. Scalia's remark.

"He wasn't teaching a law class there, he was  making a point, I believe, about what he actually thinks," she argued. "The job of the Supreme Court when they're going to take up this very important matter isn't what they personally think about LGBT people, it is what the Constitution sets out as a framework for protecting the rights of Americans. That's the question here and I believe the Supreme Court is going to rise to that occasion, as they have before, and look at those important issues. And really, the justice should apologize for what he said there."

Watch below:

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Residents of Maine and Maryland voted to legalize gay marriage. It was the first time same-sex marriage was approved by voters rather than being legalized in a legislature, as it was in New York in 2010. As of this writing, a gay marriage referendum was also leading in Washington, which rejected same sex marriage in 2009.

Along with the wins for gay marriage, Democrat Tammy Baldwin became the first openly gay U.S. Senator with her win in Wisconsin. Here in New York, the state gained an openly gay congressman in the Hudson Valley after Democrat Sean Patrick Maloney defeated Republican incumbent Nan Hayworth in the 18th district.

Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize the production sale and possession of medical marijuana for recreational use. Massachusetts also legalized marijuana for medical use. Despite these victories for marijuana advocates, a recreational marijuana initiative failed in Oregon, as did a medical marijuana proposal in Arkansas. Montana also voted to make its medical marijuana laws more restrictive. However, In spite of these setbacks the passage of bills legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes was a major landmark for advocates of the substance.

John Hickenlooper, the governor of Colorado, initially opposed his state's medical marijuana initiative. However, on NBC he indicated that, though the drug is still illegal federally, his state would at least "want to decriminalize it" in the wake of last night's vote. Mr. Hickenlooper also issued a statement indicating his desire to "respect" the wishes of voters.

"The voters have spoken and we have to respect their will," Mr. Hickenlooper said. "This will be a complicated process, but we intend to follow through. That said, federal law still says marijuana is an illegal drug, so don’t break out the Cheetos or gold fish too quickly."

Rabbi Leiter. (Photo: VosIzNeias.com)

A few days ago, Rabbi Noson Leiter of Torah Jews for Decency said Hurricane Sandy brought a "divine justice" upon New York State as retribution for legalizing same sex marriage. To prove his point Rabbi Leiter pointed to the storm damage in Lower Manhattan, which he referred to as “one of the national centers for homosexuality,” to make his point. In a statement released this afternoon, Governor Andrew Cuomo, who led the push for New York's gay marriage legislation last year, took issue with the remark.

"The comments made by Rabbi Noson Leiter that sought to link the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy to our state's embrace of marriage equality are as offensive as they are ignorant," Mr. Cuomo said. "This catastrophic storm claimed the lives of more than forty New Yorkers. This kind of hateful rhetoric has no place in our public discourse, and is particularly distasteful in times of tragedy."

Governor Cuomo went on to demand an apology from the rabbi.

"Our state is proud to offer equal rights to all our citizens, and we will never tolerate the use of a tragedy like Hurricane Sandy to promote a divisive and bigoted agenda," he said. "I call on Rabbi Leiter to apologize immediately for his hurtful comments."

Rabbi Leiter made his controversial comment in support of Neil Di Carlo's campaign for State Senate on the Conservative Party line. Mr. Di Carlo is running against Republican incumbent Steve Saland, who provided one of the four GOP votes for the Marriage Equality Act in 2011 and subsequently received a cross-party endorsement from Mr. Cuomo.

Republican former Governor George Pataki has called on Mr. Di Carlo to condemn the rabbi's controversial claim. Thus far, Mr. DiCarlo has declined.

Today, Mr. Díaz is clearly upset over Mr. Cuomo's recent cross-party endorsement of GOP Senator Steve Saland. Mr. Saland, of course, provided a key vote to Mr. Cuomo as he pushed gay marriage legislation through the State Senate in the summer of last year. Mr. Díaz, who often endorses Republican candidates that share his opposition to gay marriage, argued the governor is treated with a double standard.

"You should know that each time I endorse a candidate who is not a Democrat but who shares my moral principles of traditional marriage and respect for the unborn, I am publicly mocked in news articles, in blogs and oh yes, in tweets," Mr. Díaz wrote. "I receive phone calls from fellow Democrats, some who are too afraid to speak to me themselves and shoulder their complaint to my son, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., telling me to stop because my support for any Republican is not good for the Democratic Party."

He continued, "So about Governor Cuomo – the Big Cheese – who is New York State’s Democratic Party leader? Doesn’t he have a responsibility to be true to the Democratic Party in New York State? Doesn’t he have a responsibility to support Democrats?"

Read the full statement in all its glory below:

Governor Cuomo’s not only working against the Democratic Party but also against Black and Hispanics in New York State

You should know that recently, Governor Andrew Cuomo publicly endorsed Republican Senator Stephen Saland against his Democratic opponent. Governor Cuomo claims that he did so because Senator Saland voted to legalize gay marriage in New York State.

How many Democrats in New York State are stepping up to criticize our fearless leader as he breaks rank to endorse a Republican opponent for State Senate?

I’ll do the honors and be the first.

You should know that each time I endorse a candidate who is not a Democrat but who shares my moral principles of traditional marriage and respect for the unborn, I am publicly mocked in news articles, in blogs and oh yes, in tweets. I receive phone calls from fellow Democrats, some who are too afraid to speak to me themselves and shoulder their complaint to my son, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., telling me to stop because my support for any Republican is not good for the Democratic Party.

But wait just a minute. I am not the leader of the Democratic Party setting an example; I’m only a soldier. Whether or not the criticism and complaints against me continue, I think everyone knows that I will stand by my beliefs.

So about Governor Cuomo – the Big Cheese – who is New York State’s Democratic Party leader? Doesn’t he have a responsibility to be true to the Democratic Party in New York State? Doesn’t he have a responsibility to support Democrats?

You should know that the control of the New York State Senate will be determined by the outcome of the November 6th General Election for the State Senate races. Governor Cuomo’s endorsement of a Republican for Senate makes our victory as Democrats a real challenge.

I didn’t want to bring the race card into this, but you should know that every position of high level in New York State, from Governor to Comptroller, to Attorney General – is all White. There are no Blacks or Hispanics in high positions in New York State. In 2012 in New York State, the only chance we have, not only as Democrats who want to and have the ability to get back control of the Senate, but also to get a minority in a statewide leadership position, is to get Democrats in control of the State Senate.

I believe that Governor Cuomo is not only working against the Democratic Party as the leader – who as the leader should be protecting and defending the party and its candidates – but I also believe that he is working against racial equality and minority opportunities by preventing Black and Hispanics from gaining positions of leadership in New York State.

If Democrats are unable to take back control of the Senate, I wonder who will be out there shaking Governor Cuomo’s hand? Due to the fact that by refusing to endorse members of his own party, (which he is the top leader) and doing everything possible to stop the Democrats from getting elected to New York State Senate, he will be completely responsible for his own party’s defeat and preventing a Black or Hispanic from becoming the leader of the New York State Senate.

This is Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz and this is what you should know.

(Photo: Wikimedia)

This afternoon, a New York federal appeals court struck down a portion of the Defense of Marriage Act, commonly known as DOMA, which excluded federal benefits from same-sex couples in states recognizing such marriages. And Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Council Speaker Christine Quinn, both loud advocates in favor of gay marriage, blasted out a rare joint statement approving the legal decision.

“Today’s decision affirms that DOMA deprives same sex couples of equal protection under the law," Mr. Bloomberg said. "This ruling is an important step in ensuring the rights of men and women are not dependent upon who they love and who they chose to spend their lives with. We have much more to do, but we are another step further on the road to a more perfect union for all Americans.”

The decision, Windsor v. USA, was the result of a lawsuit filed by a New Yorker, Edie Windsor, who married her spouse, Thea Spyer, in Canada and had to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in real estate taxes after Ms. Spyer died. Before today's ruling, married heterosexual couples did not have to pay the same taxes upon the death of a spouse.

Ms. Quinn, who married her partner after New York enacted gay marriage last year, mentioned Ms. Windsor's dilemma in her own statement.

“Today, we’re one step closer to striking down the Defense of Marriage Act," she said. "This morning’s ruling by the Second District Court affirms what those on the side of justice and equality have always known that DOMA is an indefensible assault on our civil liberties. Edie Windsor’s tenacity and courage throughout the fight to have her marriage, and the security and benefits that come with it, recognized by the Federal Government is an inspiration to us all. But it’s also a reminder of the road we have ahead until full equality is granted all people. I want to thank Robbie Kaplan, James Esseks and all those who have fought so hard for their tireless efforts on this important case.”

And, in a separate press release, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman also blasted out his support for the ruling:

“Today’s decision is a major step forward in the fight for equality. I am pleased that the court recognized that the federal Defense of Marriage Act lacks an adequate justification and violates the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution. As we argued in our brief in this case, the court examined the proposed justifications for the statute with special care, both because the statute burdens gay and lesbian married couples, and because it intrudes on the traditional role of states in defining marriage. The State of New York has long recognized out-of-state, same-sex marriages, and the enactment of the Marriage Equality Act further cements our state’s position on this critical civil rights issue. My office will continue to fight every day to defend the fundamental guarantee of equal protection of the law for all New Yorkers.”

Update: From Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz:

“Today I applaud the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for upholding the ruling that the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional, and by doing so reaffirming what Brooklyn and New York City has already said loudly and clearly: love is love. It is only fitting that this ruling came right here in New York, in a city built on diversity and progressive thought. We are now one step closer to a country in which members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community will have the right to marry, just as my wife and I are able to celebrate our love and commitment through marriage. This decision and last year’s legalization of same-sex marriages in New York State both serve as a reminder of the ideals on which our nation was founded: all people are created equal and deserve to be treated as such.”

...and from Governor Andrew Cuomo:

"In June 2011, New York State inspired the rest of the nation by becoming the largest state to achieve marriage equality. Today’s ruling by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit provides further momentum for national progress on this important civil rights issue. What we did here in New York can only be the beginning, and we must continue to work together until all Americans are free to marry whom they love and are entitled to all of the rights and benefits of marriage equally, regardless of sexual orientation."

...and from Rep. Jerry Nadler:

“Now it’s six in a row,” said Nadler. “Yesterday, we found out Speaker Boehner had already wasted $1.5 million taxpayer dollars losing five DOMA cases in a row. Today, we learned that a sixth court has just ruled DOMA unconstitutional.”

“As the amicus brief I spearheaded in this case pointed out, and as the court agreed, there is no justification for denying Edie Windsor the same right as all other spouses to her full inheritance without paying a tax penalty,” continued Nadler. “Edie lives in my congressional district, and was with her wife, Thea Spyer, for 44 years. The last thing she should have to worry about following the loss of her spouse is an unjust tax penalty imposed for no other reason than the fact that she and her wife were the same gender. Now is the time to stop defending this unjust law and repeal it once and for all. I hope today’s ruling brings us one step closer to that goal,” Nadler said.

Governor Cuomo endorsing Joe Addabbo before a crowd of parade-goers

Governor Andrew Cuomo has had an infamously frosty relationship with the New York State Senate Democratic Caucus, but things may be starting to turn around a tad.

Almost exactly a month ago, Mr. Cuomo issued a small string of endorsements to three incumbent Senate Democrats, but all of them were in heavily Democratic districts where the outcomes would not affect the overall partisan makeup of the legislative body. This morning, however, Mr. Cuomo went in a different direction and endorsed an endangered incumbent, Senator Joe Addabbo, before a crowd of Columbus Day parade-goers on 5th Avenue.

"He has done great work, we've had a very productive past two years," Mr. Cuomo said, giving Mr. Addabbo props before declaring him to be a legislator of "conscience" and "political courage."

Mr. Addabbo occupies one of only two seats the Senate Republicans are offensively targeting statewide. His eastern Queens district was heavily gerrymandered to make it lean more towards the right. With a Siena College poll released today showing a neck-and-neck race between Mr. Addabo and his GOP challenger, Councilman Eric Ulrich, the Republican conference looks likely to spend a million dollars on the race by the time voters head to the polls on November 6th. So, the support of Mr. Cuomo, who has stratospheric approval ratings, it no small matter here.

Of course, the politics surrounding the governor's signature gay marriage legislation also factored into today's endorsement. Mr. Cuomo, widely thought to be considering a 2016 campaign for the White House as a Democrat, already offered his endorsement to a Republican Senator who flipped his vote on 2011's gay marriage legislation, which Mr. Addabbo had also done.

"The reason the state government has made progress is in part due to very difficult but correct votes that the Legislature has taken," Mr. Cuomo explained. "We passed a vote for marriage equality, which was right but was a difficult vote. But now a number of elected officials are in difficult races I believe in part because of the votes they took, and they took those votes in part because I was urging them to do it for the good of the state."

"Political courage, which is what Senator Joe Addabbo exhibited, should be encouraged, not be discouraged," he added.