By Azi Paybarah 7/15/11 12:21pm

stockpiling

Bloomberg Gave Money to Alesi, Key Republican in Marriage Vote

There’s a reason why Jim Alesi’s campaign didn’t record getting any money from Mayor Bloomberg: it came in after the deadline, according to a spokesman for the mayor.

Alesi, the first Republican State Senator to announce his support for same-sex marriage — was given a $10,300 donation from Mayor Bloomberg. The donation was received, and cashed, but it happened just after the cut-off date for this latest filing, according to the spokesman. (Bloomberg’s generosity was widely noted earlier, but today, many of those campaigns are making their filings public.)

Bloomberg has already heaped praise on Alesi for stepping out early on this issue, and has pledged to financially help the three other Republican State Senators who voted to legalize same-sex marriage.

By Azi Paybarah 7/13/11 5:27pm

same-sex marriage

Same-Sex Marriage Republican Has a Lot of Campaign Money

Mayor Michael Bloomberg donated $10,300 to Mark Grisanti, a freshman Republican State Senator whose re-election was thrown into even greater uncertainty after he voted to legalize same-sex marriage. Tim Gill, head of the national LGBT advocacy group, the Gill Foundation, donated $10,000 to Grisanti’s campaign.

Overall, Grisanti, who represents a heavily Democratic district in Buffalo, raised $148,325 ($91,461 from individuals and the rest from corporations and unions). During this latest filing period, he spent just over $28,495.

Overall, Grisanti has $103,954.06 in the bank, a remarkable turnaround since he started this filing period with $2,106.11 in debt. Read More

By Azi Paybarah 7/05/11 7:38pm

Features

Governor Cuomo and State Senator Jim Alesi

Marriage of Convenience: Governor Cuomo and State Senator Jim Alesi

On a recent Tuesday night, when State Senator James Alesi was introduced to a same-sex marriage celebration hosted by the Human Rights Campaign, a swanky Chelsea bar exploded with cheers and whistles.

“That’s exactly what it sounded like when I went to church on Sunday,” Mr. Alesi told a few hundred attendees. The audience, packed into the Hiro Ballroom of the Maritime Hotel, roared with laughter. Read More

By Azi Paybarah 6/29/11 12:33pm

same-sex marriage

Bloomberg Hails Alesi as Historic 'Tipping Point' on Marriage


This morning at Gracie Mansion, Mayor Bloomberg heaped praise on Jim Alesi, the first Republican State Senator to say he would vote for same-sex marriage, which narrowly passed thanks to a handful of votes from his side of the aisle.

Bloomberg said Alesi “showed courageous leadership” and was the “tipping point in the debate.”

“I think you will go down in the history books as the legislator who turned the tide on marriage equality,” said Bloomberg, “Not only here in New York State but I think this is going to spread across the country.”

Alesi, said nine of ten constituents in his upstate district have thanked him for his vote, but admitted, there has been some political fallout.

Before the vote last week, “I did call my chairman in Monroe County and did give him a courtesy call,” said Alesi. “And I think shortly thereafter, in a matter of seconds, we had an understanding that our relationship was over.”

By Azi Paybarah 6/15/11 11:44am

same-sex marriage

A Quiet Republican for Same-Sex Marriage

One more note about the attempt to cobble together one more Republican to support same-sex marriage: the effort won’t include Jim Alesi, who supports the bill.

Before entering this morning’s Republican State Senate conference meeting, Alesi told reporters he supports legalizing same-sex marriage, but felt it would be inappropriate to lobby his  colleagues on the matter.

“I’m not going to debate with my colleagues,” he said. “I have not lobbied my colleagues in my conference.”

“We all know each other and I don’t think that would be the appropriate course of action. They know how I feel and why I feel the way I do,” Alesi said.

By Azi Paybarah 6/14/11 8:08am

suggested reading

Jim Alesi, an upstate Republican who offered support for same-sex marriage. (via Alesi's web site)

Morning Read: Shoving Weiner Out, Pushing Marriage Over the Top

Ethics: $7.4 billion in contracts for clients of lawfirms that employee legislators. [Thomas Kaplan / New York Times]

Appointments: Cuomo appointee, Howard Milstein, has a troubled past. [Michael Powell / New York Times]

Headline: “Sen. James Alesi backs same-sex marriage in final week of session.” [Joseph Spector / Democrat and Chronicle]

Same-Sex Marriage: Two more votes needed. [Tom Precious / Buffalo News]

Same-Sex Marriage: How Cuomo rolled out the support Monday. [Laura Nahmias / The Capitol]

Same-Sex Marriage: “tide may have turned dramatically.” Alesi hinges support on religious carve outs; Ball needs to see the language. [Simon Garron-Caine / Gay City News]

Same-Sex Marriage: “I’m not going to make it a party vote, a conference vote,” said Dean Skelos. [Jimmy Vielkind / Times Union]

Same-Sex Marriage: “It’s unclear if Republicans will provide the needed votes to approve gay marriage, though momentum Monday night seemed to be moving that way.” [Ken Lovett / Daily News]

Same-Sex Marriage: Archbishop Dolan expected to call “certain” state senators. [Jacob Gershman / WSJ]

Same-Sex Marriage: “I believe that the votes will be there for marriage equality if the vote happens,” said Cuomo. [Nick Confessore and Michael Barbaro / New York Times]

Same-Sex Marriage: “Flood your senators with phone calls. Inundate them with emails. Bury them with letters. But keep it positive. Keep it loving.” [Bill Hammond / Daily News]

Same-Sex Marriage: “Alesi’s stunning change of heart” and “shocking confession” about 2009 vote. [Brendan Scott and Fred Dicker / NY Post]

2009: ” ‘I’ve apologized for letting people down, but I was supporting a conference vote that I believed at the time politically was necessary when we [ Republicans ] were in the [Senate] minority,’ Alesi said, essentially saying that the GOP didn’t want to give the Democrats who then controlled the chamber a victory.” [Yancey Roy / Newsday]

Endorsements: After apologizing for homophobic rant, Tracy Morgan voices support for same-sex marriage. [Joe Gracely / Daily News]

Pressure: Weiner is a test of Pelosi’s clout; aides say Pelosi spoke with Weiner regularly throughout the week, urging him to leave. [Carl Huse and Jennifer Steinhauer / New York Times]

Pressure: Obama wants him to resign; Pelosi said, “I hope…Weiner will hear this.” [Geoff Earle and SA Miller / NY Post]

Weiner Problems: “Weiner’s predicament has rocked the Democratic Party, particularly the women who hold leadership posts.” [AP]

Weiner Chorus: Menendez doesn’t call for Weiner’s resignation. [Sergio Bichao / Home News Tribune]

Rehab: Editors call Weiner’s two-week treatment stint “a PR cover to let an embattled member buy time.” Granting him the leave “is a gross abuse.” [Daily News]

Rehab: “I think there is something noble in what [Weiner] is doing right now.” [Andrew Brown / Guardian]

Context: “Personally don’t think what he did is all that bad and I think the media’s preoccupation with this story is a little absurd,” said Gennette Cordova. [Alison Gendar / Daily News]

Redistricting: If not now, not for another 10 years, editors fear. [Jay Jochnowitz / Times Union]

Graduation Rates: Statewide info being released today. [AP]

Layoffs: Moving forward in Albany.[Rick Karlin / Times Union]

Layoffs: Unions eye health care fund to protect jobs; in talks with Bloomberg. [Michael Saul / WSJ]

Layoffs: ‘This is not a typical budget negotiation year, it’s a bad year, and I’m not afraid to ask for help,’ Ms. Quinn said in an interview.” [Fernanda Santos / New York Times]

By Azi Paybarah 6/13/11 2:59pm

same-sex marriage

Reports: Democratic Holdouts Now Support Same-Sex Marriage

Shirley Huntley, Joe Addabbo and Carl Kruger are all set to support same-sex marriage, according to Capital Tonight and the New York Times.

That gives advocates 29 Democratic votes (Democratic State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr., a Pentecostal minister, is not expected to drop his opposition).

So far, no Republican has come out in support of the bill, but a handful of “undecided” GOP members are thought to be possible converts, including Jim Alesi, Greg Ball, Mark Grisanti and Andrew Lanza.