FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 14, 2011
Contact: Mary Beth Hutchins (703-683-5004 x105, [email protected])

Senators James Alesi, Mark Grisanti, Roy McDonald and Stephen Saland Benefiting from Bloomberg-Hosted Fundraiser This Evening

New York, NY — The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) today announced it is running an online advertisement throughout New York state in response to a Bloomberg-held fundraiser this evening for the four GOP senators that betrayed the trust of New Yorkers last summer by exchanging a vote for same-sex marriage for campaign contributions.

The advertisement, called "Money Dance," is modeled after the practice of some brides and grooms dancing for money with supporters at their wedding. In this case, the four Senators -- Roy McDonald, Mark Grisanti, James Alesi and Stephen Saland - are dancing with wealthy contributors like Michael Bloomberg and Tim Gill who purchased their allegiance during the recent legislative session.

"These four state Senators have betrayed New Yorkers in their quest for wedding cash," said Brian Brown, president of NOM. "They abandoned their stated values and their own promises to voters. We want to expose these Senators and their same-sex marriage money dance. NOM and our 'Let the People Vote' coalition will not rest until these legislators are turned out of office and the people of New York are allowed to vote on the definition of marriage."

The online advertisement is the latest in a series of efforts aimed at picking off every New York legislator that did not stand up for their constituents and allow a vote of the people before redefining marriage. Earlier this month, NOM ran a full-page advertisement in The Capitol asking David Weprin how his gay marriage vote worked out for him, referencing his September loss in the 9th Congressional District race. The print advertisement went on to further ask, 'who will be next?' At the end of September NOM and the "Let the People Vote" coalition announced a series of billboards that are being displayed in the districts of Senators McDonald, Grisanti, Saland, Alesi and Shirley Huntely warning them, 'they're next', referring to the pledge NOM made to hold every legislator that voted to redefine marriage accountable. Prior to the billboard launch, NOM funded mailers into the districts of the five state Senators and organized rallies in four cities that drew over 15,000 people. NOM alone has committed $2 million to fund the "Let the People Vote" effort.

The "Let the People Vote" coalition (www.letthepeoplevote.com) was formed to bring together many diverse religious and ethnic communities around the central issue of traditional marriage to demand that New York voters, just like voters in 31 other states, be given the right to decide the definition of marriage

For more information visit www.LetThePeopleVote.com

Paid for by the National Organization for Marriage, www.nationformarriage.org. Not authorized by any candidate or any candidate's committee.

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