NOM BLOG

Category Archives: New York

Gov. Cuomo Appoints Marriage Flip-Flopper Alesi to NY Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board

Back in 2011, then-New York Senator Jim Alesi betrayed marriage and his constituents by accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars from gay marriage advocates and flipping his position on marriage. But no amount of money can buy the support of voters once you've lost their trust. Sen. Alesi was subsequently driven from his re-election race by NOM's pledge to defeat him, and later claimed that his vote for same-sex marriage was what sunk his political career.

So what is former Sen. Alesi up to these days? New York Gov. Cuomo has just appointed him to the state Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board. According to Albany Watch:

Alesi_moneydanceThe longtime lawmaker will make $90,800 annually on top of his pension, which totals $35,231, according to the Empire Center.

Alesi said Cuomo’s office reached out to him as it was filling vacancies on various boards and commissions. The former senator fills a seat that has been vacant since 2011, with his term lasting through Nov. 18, 2017.

The former senator was one of four Republicans to vote in favor of same-sex marriage in 2011, giving the bill key support to become law. He was repeatedly hailed by Cuomo following the vote, but stepped away from running for re-election in 2012.

National Organization for Marriage NY PAC Endorses Erick Salgado for NYC Mayor

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 3, 2013
Contact: Elizabeth Ray or Jen Campbell (703-683-5004)


Question Conservative Party Endorsement of Candidate "Excited" to Perform Gay Marriages

National Organization for Marriage

Washington, D.C. — The National Organization for Marriage NY PAC, today, endorsed Rev. Erick Salgado for Mayor of New York City.

"NOM is proud to endorse a candidate who has the courage to stand up for conservative principles and join us in our support of traditional marriage," NOM President Brian Brown said.

"There are millions of people in New York City who support traditional marriage and deserve to have their voices heard. Rev. Erick Salgado is not only that voice, but is a true leader who has a vision for New York that is based on conservative values," Brown continued.

Brown also questioned the Conservative Party's endorsement of candidate Joe Lhota, pointing out that Lhota has not only expressed his support of gay marriage, but stated during a January 17, 2013 interview on NY1's "Road to City Hall" that he "looked forward" to performing gay marriages as mayor.

"Joe Lhota's view on gay marriage is extreme and not in step with conservatism," Brown said. "While I have great personal respect for the leadership of the Conservative Party, we reject the endorsement of Joe Lhota. Erick Salgado is the candidate who will work to restore marriage in New York, and we are proud to support him."

The National Organization for Marriage and NOM NY PAC has helped win a number of victories in New York City and across the State. "We worked together with local allies to elect Bob Turner to Congress, David Storobin to the State Senate and defeated three of the four State Senators who flip-flopped on gay marriage. Now we urge New Yorkers to show their support for marriage by rallying around Erick Salgado," Brown concluded.

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To schedule an interview with Brian Brown, President of the National Organization for Marriage, please contact Elizabeth Ray (x130), [email protected], or Jen Campbell (x145), [email protected], at 703-683-5004.

National Organization for Marriage Condemns the Murder of a Gay Man in New York

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 21, 2013
Contact: Elizabeth Ray or Jen Campbell (703-683-5004)


Washington, D.C. — The following statement may be attributable to Brian Brown, President of the National Organization for Marriage:

National Organization for Marriage

"We condemn in the strongest possible way the murder of a gay man in New York by a killer who apparently hurled anti-gay insults at him moments before the killing. This senseless act cannot be condoned in America or anywhere, and we urge that the perpetrator be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Our heart goes out to the family of the victim, and we hold them in our prayers. While this killing appears to have no connection to the current debate about redefining marriage, there is no room for violence toward any American — whether they support traditional marriage or not. No person should be subjected to violence because they are gay or lesbian or because they believe that marriage is the union of one man and one woman. There is no place for violence, period."

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To schedule an interview with Brian Brown, President of the National Organization for Marriage, please contact Elizabeth Ray (x130), [email protected], or Jen Campbell (x145), [email protected], at 703-683-5004.

Paid for by The National Organization for Marriage, Brian Brown, president. 2029 K Street NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006, not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. New § 68A.405(1)(f) & (h).

"Wedding... just another vehicle to get the word out about safe sex"

Is same-sex marriage the same time-honored institution of marriage that societies everywhere have always recognized and celebrated, or does it represent a fundamental shift in principles and values, an essential and complete redefinition of marriage itself?

Well, imagine this promotion running in your grandparents’ Wall Street Journal as hopeful GI’s returned from World War II, and you tell me what you think:

NüVo Condoms to sponsor FIRST gay wedding ever at NYC PrideFest on June 30, 2013

NüVo Condoms is seeking a gay couple who is interested in getting hitched with an all expenses paid wedding at this years NYC PrideFest on June 30,2013. Are you a gay couple that has been looking to tie the knot? Wait no longer -- NüVo Condoms wants you to take the plunge! In honor of the 2nd year anniversary of the legalization of gay marriage in New York, NüVo will be sponsoring the FIRST WEDDING ever at NYC PrideFest for one lucky couple.

[…]

When speaking about the wedding at NYC Pridefest, BennyBwoy, spokesperson for NüVo Condoms stated, “We are excited about this event, we continue to create awareness for our brand, and more importantly the critical need for greater safe sex practices. This wedding is just another vehicle to get the word out about safe sex.”

The institution of marriage as “just another vehicle” to promote and advertise the use of condoms? Somehow I don’t think our ancestors would have seen it that way.

NY public school to girls: "Ask one another for a kiss"

National Organization for Marriage

Dear Marriage Supporter,

In 2011, before same-sex marriage was legalized in New York, promises were made that the bill would not impact anyone but same-sex couples who simply desired to be 'married.' We knew that was false then... and New York parents are beginning to learn the truth now.

Christian News is reporting that in Red Hook, New York, 13 and 14 year old girls were encouraged to mimic lesbian behavior and to "ask one another for a kiss" at a school "anti-bullying" presentation. Two girls were brought on stage and asked to act like lesbians out on a date. The boys were told to carry a condom with them at all times.

Parents weren't given any notice of this school event. And, confronted by angry parents, "the principal and the district superintendant are defending the workshops, and are advising that they will schedule more."

My friend, this is what's at stake: our right to raise our children with our values, free from indoctrination into alternative "lifestyles" under the guise of "anti-bullying," "tolerance" and "gender identity."

Please click here right away to make a secure, confidential donation of $35, $50, $100, $500 or even $1000 or more to help NOM defend marriage and traditional family values all across the country!

And right now every donation you give will be matched by a generous supporter—so your donation today will have TWICE the impact!

You and I know that same-sex marriage isn't a "live and let live" proposition... it's a direct attack on the values and religious liberties of people with a traditional understanding of marriage.

Politicians never forthrightly tell citizens that their daughters could be encouraged at school to kiss another girl or that their sons should always carry a condom. They don't tell you that second graders can be taught about same-sex "marriage" in class, or that the existence of gay "marriage" would be used by a lesbian sex-ed teacher in Massachusetts to instruct her students in the details of having lesbian sex. And they don't tell you about all the people who are sued or punished for refusing to go along with a gay "marriage" regime and who hold firm for traditional marriage.

It's an agenda pushed by a set of people who truly believe that anyone who stands up for the simple truth that marriage is between a man and a woman because children have a right to both a mother and a father is a bigot and must be treated as such under the law. And as such, the law must be brought to bear to "correct" our hateful thinking and ensure that this "hatred" is not passed along to our children.

And yet, whenever bills to legalize same-sex marriage are proposed, activists and their political allies fall all over themselves to reassure the public that traditional values and religious liberties will be respected and that there will be no consequences for people of faith.

They're doing so again, right now in Rhode Island and Delaware—both of which have same-sex marriage legislation pending—making the same exact promises about values, religious liberty and education that have been broken time and again in other states.

For the sake of our children, we cannot let them get away with this!

Please donate right away to support NOM's efforts to fight against this assault against our religious liberties and our children.

It is critical that we demonstrate the American people's support of marriage as the union of one man and one woman at precisely the time when the Supreme Court is deliberating the most important cases of our generation!

If same-sex "marriage" is passed in Rhode Island and Delaware, people of faith and their children will be in the crosshairs. In addition, it will provide a boost to efforts in other states to redefine marriage and feed the false narrative that marriage redefinition is inevitable.

Supporter, redefining marriage is NOT inevitable. NOM has defeated countless bills seeking to redefine marriage in the past... and with your help, we will continue to do so at this most critically important juncture!

Because wherever marriage has been redefined, people of faith have suffered and children are targeted.

Please click here right away to make a generous donation to support NOM's efforts around the country to protect marriage and the faith communities that sustain it.

Remember—thanks to a generous supporter, every donation will be matched dollar-for-dollar. But that powerful support can only be activated if you make a donation today!

We MUST stand up and fight to defend marriage. Please join us.

Thank you.

Brian Brown: Upstate NY GOP Rep. Who Signed Anti-Marriage Brief Will Get Primary Opponent

Brian Brown, President of NOM, on the GOP grassroots mobilizing to unseat one of the two Republican representatives in Congress who recently came out against the Republican platform which pledges to protect marriage:

Only two members of Congress were among the several dozen Republicans who signed on to a legal brief asserting the constitutionality of same-sex marriage, and one of them was upstate New York congressman Richard Hanna.

Hanna's support for the brief comes in defiance of last fall's election results, when three of the four Republicans in the State Senate who voted in favor of same-sex marriage were defeated at the polls. And, in the eyes of same-sex marriage opponents, what Hanna did was even worse.

"It's much more egregious," said Brian Brown, the president of the National Organization for Marriage.

"To sign on to this completely novel and erroneous understanding of our law is an embarrassment to him, and obviously they should be primaried," he added. (Capital New York)

AP: Analysis Shows GOP Legislators Who Support SSM Lose Their Seats

An important news story by Patrick Condon in the Associated Press confirms what we have been highlighting for a long time -- Republicans who betray their base on marriage place their political future in serious jeopardy:

As some Republicans in the Minnesota Legislature weigh whether to support legalizing same-sex marriage, an analysis of gay-marriage votes from other states shows that GOP lawmakers who backed it often faced consequences, including loss of their seats.

... Republicans inclined to back gay marriage face risks.

"It was largely responsible for my loss," said Jean White, a former Republican state senator in Colorado whose 2011 vote for civil unions became an issue in a primary challenge by a fellow Republican...

According to roll call votes, in the eight times nationwide that state legislatures voted for gay marriage, just 47 Republicans bucked the party line out of many hundreds who voted against it.

Of those 47 Republicans who voted yes starting in 2009, 21 are in office today.

In New York, one of four Republican senators who supported gay marriage is still in the Legislature. One lost a primary, one retired, and one lost the general election after narrowly winning a bitter primary.

A New Hampshire Republican representative lost a primary after her 2009 vote for gay marriage, and in Maryland the former Senate Republican leader relinquished his leadership post when he started working with Democrats on a gay-marriage bill that passed last year.

"I got a lot of flak, a lot," said that senator, Allan Kittleman. He's planning to leave the Senate this year to run for a county office instead.

In Washington, which passed gay marriage in 2012, two of six Republicans who backed the bill are no longer in office.

NYC Mayor-Hopeful Married to Woman Who Self-Identified as Lesbian

NYC Mayor-hopeful Bill de Blasio and his wife are both "staunch supporters of gay marriage" but the New York Daily News mentions that before getting married and having two children with his wife, she identified as a lesbian:

"... While Quinn is running a historic campaign to become the city’s first lesbian mayor, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio is married to a woman who was out and proud in the 1970s.

De Blasio’s wife, Chirlane McCray, penned a seven-page article for Essence magazine in 1979 titled “I Am a Lesbian” that detailed her emotional path to coming out as a gay woman.

... After the article surfaced Thursday on the Politicker website, de Blasio’s campaign released a statement from McCray.

“In the 1970s, I identified as a lesbian, and wrote about it,” she said. “In 1991, I met the love of my life, married him, and together we’ve raised two amazing kids. I’m reminded every day how lucky I am to have met my soulmate.”

... Essence described McCray at the time as a 24-year-old “free-lance writer.” She wrote that she was “fortunate because I discovered my preference for women early, before getting locked into a traditional marriage and having children.”

"Protest Votes Against Same-Sex Marriage Help End 32-Year Reign" of NY Senator Saland

The Observer gives credit where credit is due -- to pro-marriage voters in New York who ousted Steven Saland for betraying them on marriage!

"When Terry Gipson stood on a chair to announce that he had been declared the winner by Gannett publishing in his race to unseat state Senator Stephen Saland, he received a warm ovation from the crowd at the Election Night party at Shadows on the Hudson in Poughkeepsie.

... And while the final ballot count is still not in, the Gipson victory comes as a surprise to many who were unsure that anyone could unseat Saland, a Republican who has been in the state Legislature for 32 years, especially after Saland was endorsed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo after he voted to approve same-sex marriage. The endorsement and a letter from the governor to voters’ mailboxes came in the final days of the campaign.

In response to those actions, the Gipson campaign had pointed out that Saland opposed many of Cuomo’s other key priorities and that Gipson, who is pro-choice and supports same-sex marriage, would be a better match to the governor’s agenda.

“It’s quid pro Cuomo,” said one Democratic committee member not affiliated with the campaign who asked not to be identified for fear of retribution. “Saland finally voted for same-sex marriage after years of helping block it, and it got him the endorsement.”

Saland has not yet been mathematically eliminated from the race and has not conceded."

Cardinal Dolan Promises President Obama: Catholic Church Will Continue to Fight For Marriage

The US Bishops:

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, congratulated President Barack Obama, November 7, the day after his re-election as President of the United States.

Cardinal Dolan promised the prayers of the bishops saying that "The Catholic Bishops of the United States offer our prayers that God will give you strength and wisdom to meet the difficult challenges that face America."

He added that "In particular, we pray that you will exercise your office to pursue the common good, especially in care of the most vulnerable among us, including the unborn, the poor, and the immigrant. We will continue to stand in defense of life, marriage, and our first, most cherished liberty, religious freedom. We pray, too, that you will help restore a sense of civility to the public order, so our public conversations may be imbued with respect and charity toward everyone."

GOP Majority in New York in Jeopardy As Pro-SSM Saland Goes Down

More from us soon, friends, about the results of last night's elections.

In the meantime we wanted to point out a silver lining outcome from last night:

"The fight for control of New York's state Senate was too close to call hours after the polls closed.

With most precincts reporting in unofficial results, it appeared two Republican seats would switch to Democrats leaving the chamber tied 31-31. A new seat was too close to call.

It appeared Stephen Saland, a Republican from Poughkeepsie who voted to support gay marriage, would lose. And in Rochester, Democrat Ted O'Brien appeared to have defeated Sean Hanna. That seat had been held by another Republican who had voted for same-sex marriage..." -- AP

Sen. Addabbo Flip-Flops on Marriage --Again!-- Before Facing Voters on Tuesday

New York Daily News:

When it comes to gay marriage, state Sen. Joseph Addabbo was against it before he was for it — and now he seems to be against it again.

Last year, the Queens Democrat’s position-changing vote helped legalize same-sex marriage.

But now, Addabbo is locked in a tight reelection fight with Republican City Councilman and gay-marriage opponent Eric Ulrich. And the senator recently told the Far Rockaway Jewish Alliance during an endorsement interview that he’d again vote no if given the chance, according to two Jewish publications.

Why? Because his newly redrawn district is suddenly more conservative.

Addabbo, who is Catholic, cast a nay vote that contributed to the death of a gay marriage bill in 2009. After Gov. Cuomo, the Democratic standard-bearer in New York, aggressively pushed the issue after taking office last year, Addabbo changed his position, explaining his shift by saying that he polled the matter in his district and found his constituents supported gay marriage.

Cuomo cited the “courage” Addabbo showed in changing his position when he endorsed the senator earlier this month over Ulrich, a Catholic who once considered entering the priesthood. Addabbo’s pro-gay marriage stance also won him the backing of the Empire State Pride Agenda, the state’s largest gay advocacy group.

But the Legislature redrew Addabbo’s district lines following last year’s gay marriage vote, bringing into his territory more conservative enclaves in Far Rockaway, Kew Gardens and parts of Forest Hills — and leading to his second flip on the issue.

Help Finish the Job in New York!

Email Header Image

Dear Marriage Supporter,

I am writing to update you on the state of the race in New York, and to ask for your urgent support to help get the job done. Please make a generous donation to the NOM PAC NY today to help us push across the finish line in several key races that will send a message across the nation.

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Fifteen months ago, when turncoat politicians pushed same-sex marriage through behind closed doors in the dark of night, we promised that we would not stop until marriage was restored in New York.

And the first order of business was to hold accountable the seven turncoat senators who imposed same-sex marriage on the state.

With your help, we have already come a long way! Four of the seven have already been defeated, and the remaining three are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in a desperate attempt to save their careers.

James Alesi. Roy McDonald. Carl Kruger. Shirley Huntley. Mark Grisanti. Stephen Saland. Joseph Addabbo.

Please click here to help get the job done with a generous gift of $30, $50, or even $500 to the NOM PAC New York today!

  • James Alesi—despite earlier boasts—saw the handwriting on the wall and decided to retire rather than face voters.

  • In May, NOM helped elect pro-marriage David Storobin to replace disgraced Senator Carl Kruger in a special election.

  • Last month, for the first time in more than fifty years, a sitting Republican senator in New York was defeated in a primary election when Kathy Marchione defeated Roy McDonald.

  • Neil Di Carlo nearly pulled off a similar upset despite being outspent nearly 30-1 in his campaign against Steve Saland—and Di Carlo is still in the race on the Conservative Party line with a chance to pull off an election day upset.

  • Also last month, NOM helped pro-marriage candidate James Sanders defeat Shirley Huntley in the Democratic Party primary.

Election day is just a week away, and many New Yorkers are digging out from the damage inflicted by Hurricane Sandy. But upstate, Mark Grisanti is trying to buy his way to victory in a four-way race. His chief pro-marriage opponent, NOM-backed Conservative Party candidate Charles Swanick, greatly needs our support in these final days to prevent a Grisanti victory.

In the Hudson valley, Neil Di Carlo is in a tight rematch with Stephen Saland—except this time Saland has a Democratic opponent who is expected to draw some of Saland's primary supporters, giving Di Carlo a clear shot at Saland's senate seat.

And in an under-reported race, the latest polls show Joseph Addabo stuck at 45% support against his Republican challenger just weeks before election day.

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We have accomplished much together already, and there are critical races all across the nation this November, but perhaps none would send a more resounding message than for us to prove to the world that a politicians' vote for same-sex marriage is a career-ending vote, even in a deep blue state like New York.

I know there are many requests for your support right now, but I hope you will make the most generous gift you can to help finish the job in New York. Whether it's $25 or $2500, your support is key to our success in taking back New York. Please stand with us today!

National Organization for Marriage President Calls Out Grisanti for Outright Lie During Debate

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 25, 2012
Contact: Elizabeth Ray or Jen Campbell (703-683-5004)


"He changed his vote for power and campaign contributions and now he is outright lying to the people of Western New York." —Brian Brown, President, NOM—

National Organization for Marriage

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Brian Brown, President of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) today called out New York State Senator Mark Grisanti for outright lying in a debate with his two opponents in the 61st Senate District. During the Wednesday morning debate Grisanti said, "He did not campaign against marriage equality in 2010." The lie was made in an attempt to fend off his opponents who were challenging Grisanti on his flip-flop and betrayal of traditional marriage.

"For Mark Grisanti to say he didn't run on the issue of marriage couldn't be further from the truth," Brown said. "In 2008, I had a phone conversation with him. He pledged his support and took our money. I can't imagine how it could be any clearer."

Brown also referenced a letter that Grisanti wrote to several members of the clergy throughout the district proclaiming that he was "unalterably opposed" to same-sex marriage.

"Mark Grisanti showed us his lack of character and integrity when he flip-flopped and betrayed us on marriage and he is showing his true colors again to defend his deplorable actions" Brown continued.

Brown cited two different news accounts regarding Grisanti's 2010 victory:

  1. A New York Times Magazine article from April of 2012 that wrote, "he told people he was in the man-and-a-woman camp, which probably bought him a smattering of black support. Moreover, Grisanti was listed on the ballot as the candidate of the Conservative Party in addition to being the Republican nominee, and he reaped 4,368 votes on the Conservative line. So it is not a stretch to suggest that, between Conservative and black votes, Mark Grisanti owes his seat to the fact that he identified himself as a "no" vote on gay marriage."

  2. and

  3. A Buffalo News article written by Donn Esmonde in November of 2010 where former Erie County Executive Joel Giambra, who was credited with orchestrating the successful Grisanti State Senate campaign, attributed the win in part because Grisanti's opponent Antoine Thompson " had trouble with his base [of support] because of his backing of gay marriage."

"Mark Grisanti clearly changed his position and now he's trying to change history. He changed his vote for power and campaign contributions and now he is outright lying to the people of Western New York so he can continue to cash in," Brown concluded.

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To schedule an interview with Brian Brown, President of the National Organization for Marriage, please contact Jen Campbell (x145), [email protected] , or Elizabeth Ray (x130), [email protected] , at 703-683-5004.

Paid for by The National Organization for Marriage, Brian Brown, president. 2029 K Street NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006, not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. New § 68A.405(1)(f) & (h).

Video: Local News on Christian Farmer Not Exempt From New York's SSM Law

WNYT-TV airs a segment on the case of the farm owners in New York that are being sued by a lesbian couple after the owners respectfully told them they did not want their farm to be the site of their same-sex ceremony. The report admits that the fate of the farm owners's plea is in the hands of a Judge now.

Remember how we were promised no one who did not want to be involved with same-sex weddings would be forced to? The lesbian couple is demanding an apology and for the farm owners to change their private policy regarding same-sex ceremonies:

[You can view the TV segment here.]

Two New York women who say they were turned away from a potential wedding site because they are lesbians have filed a discrimination complaint.

Advocates say the complaint filed with the state Division of Human Rights is among the first of its kind since New York legalized same-sex weddings last year.

Melisa Erwin and Jennie McCarthy, of Albany, say they filed the complaint Oct. 11 after Liberty Ridge Farm told them they could not use the site for their wedding next summer. -- The Blaze