By David Freedlander 3/19/12 11:50pm

SCOTUS

2008 Democratic National Convention: Day 1

Michelle Obama Says Obama Supreme Court Will Allow Future Generations To ‘Love Whomever They Choose’

At a fundraiser at Chelsea Piers yesterday evening, First Lady Michelle Obama urged supporters to back her husband’s re-election bid because his Supreme Court picks will allow succeeding generations to “love whomever they choose.”

While not expressly mentioning the legalization of same-sex marriage, it is hard not to read Ms. Obama’s comments as anything other than putting more pressure on the president to publicly endorse gay marriage. Read More

By Hunter Walker 2/01/12 8:51am

Vows

Same-sex marriage supporters marching on Washington in 2009. (Photo: Getty)

For Gay Rights, The Honeymoon Is Over

On Sunday, as Governor Andrew Cuomo, Senator Chuck Schumer and over 400 other guests looked on, Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell married John Banta, his partner of over three decades. For Mr. O’Donnell, the wedding was the culmination of a more-than-four-year fight—which included numerous lawsuits and the introduction of five bills to the State Legislature—that finally resulted in same-sex marriage’s finally being legalized in New York last June.

“I began this battle when Eliot Spitzer was elected governor,” Mr. O’Donnell told The Observer. “I used to wake up every day thinking about how many votes I had or didn’t have. Now it’s like, what do I do now?” Read More

By Hunter Walker 12/30/11 10:51am

weddings

Daniel O'Donnell (Photo: NYS Assembly)

Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell Takes Advantage of Same-Sex Marriage Law

Openly gay Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell, who introduced five bills to legalize same sex marriage over the past four years, is marrying his partner of more than three decades now that the state passed the marriage equality law in June.

Assemblyman O’Donnell announced his impending nuptials on former Governor David Paterson’s talk radio show yesterday. “I’m here on your radio show today to announce that I’m getting married. John and I have decided to get married, we’ve been together for 31 years and our wedding will be on January 29th at Guastavino’s on the East Side of Manhattan, which is a beautiful, beautiful  locale,” said Assemblyman O’Donnell. Read More

By Azi Paybarah 8/17/11 11:05am

lgbt

Senator Gilibrand (photo credit: azi paybarah / observer)

'They Will Fail': Gillibrand Promises to Defeat Bachmann's Push for DADT

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand emerged from the fight to abolish Don’t Ask Don’t Tell as arguably the upper chamber’s most ardent spokesperson for gay rights.

It also helped her get out from under the large shadow of the state’s ubiquitous senior senator, Chuck Schumer (who also supports the repeal but has focused more of his attention on the economy and the fiscal woes of the middle class).

At a LGBT-themed forum in Manhattan last night — her umpteenth event that day — Gillibrand quickly knocked down a question about Michele Bachmann’s plans to undo some recent gay rights victories on the federal level. Read More

By Azi Paybarah 8/02/11 2:09pm

NY-9

After Weprin Questions State Senate Vote on Marriage, Savino Tears Up Donation Check to His Campaign [Updated]

State Senator Diane Savino is furious with fellow Democrat David Weprin after he agreed with an interviewer who said there should be some type of inquiry into whether the  State Senate violated its rules when it voted to legalize same-sex marriage.

“I was this close to writing  a check to him and I tore it up,” Savino told me. “He knows damn well” rules were followed, she said. “He should just defend his vote.” Weprin, as a member of the Assembly, voted for the bill.

“I am calling on him to rethink” his comments, she said, referring to Weprin’s interview with the conservative Orthodox Jewish news outlet, Voz is Neias.  Read More

By Azi Paybarah 8/01/11 10:24am

NY-9

David Weprin, during an interview with Voz is Neias.

Probe State Senate Vote on Same-Sex Marriage: Weprin [Video]

Critics of New York State’s recent bill legalizing same-sex marriage have been arguing that the State Senate violated its own procedural rules when they voted on it last month.

Most of their complaints are tenuous at best (yes the bill didn’t age for three days as required by rules, but that’s because Cuomo signed an “order of necessity” so, it’s legit). But the complaints give critics of the bill a foothold on the public perception battle over which side was acting on behalf of “the people.”

In an interview with the major Jewish news organization, Vos is Neias, Democratic congressional candidate David Weprin agreed with the outlet’s assertion that that some violations may have taken place in the State Senate and that the matter deserved some type of investigation.

Weprin is running in the 9th congressional district, where there is a sizable Orthodox Jewish constituency which opposes same-sex marriage. His opponent, Republican businessman Bob Turner, has already called attention to this issue. Read More

By Azi Paybarah 7/25/11 11:02am

same-sex marriage

quinn cuomo party

Quinn Celebrates at LGBT Center [Video]

Here’s footage of Christine Quinn, from inside Andrew Cuomo’s closed-press the LGBT center’sevent yesterday celebrating the legalization of same-sex marriage.

Quinn took a shot at unnamed opponents of the new. “They’re calling for a referendum,” she said. “Not for nothing, but they weren’t calling for a referendum when they won in 2009.”

[Note: The headline was changed from an earlier version.] Read More