Bloomberg Threatens To Stop Funding Republicans Who Don't Back Gay Marriage

Mayor Bloomberg promised to campaign for a gay marriage bill in March, and now he's backing up his words with a warning to politicians who don't support the legislation.

From the Daily News:

Bloomberg pledged to back senators who "stand up for marriage equality" and warned that those who don't could be left without his often-generous financial support. "I certainly will concentrate and focus more on those that do," said Bloomberg, who has donated big bucks to Senate Republicans in recent years.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is also a key supporter of marriage equality, which recent polls show is increasingly popular amongst New Yorkers.

Even wealthy Republicans have gotten behind the effort to pass a bill.

In December of 2009, a same-sex marriage bill was defeated by a 24-38 vote in the state Senate. All Republicans and eight Democrats voted against the measure.

Check out New Yorker Barbara Bush on the subject.

Comments

[ikaufman]

02:21 PM on 05/20/2011

This is ridiculous and disingenuous. If he really backed gay marriage, he would have never appealed the ruling of the Supreme Court, New York County which ruled New York's domestic statute as unconstitutional in prohibiting same sex marriage. New York City right now could have gay marriage but for Bloomberg's appeal, which was ultimately reversed by a bigotted Court of Appeals in a decision written by an old white man and concurred with by a black man. If a black judge is against gay marriage, then I'm all for slavery.

[babby201]

02:56 AM on 05/20/2011

the dictatorship of wealth , no matter how honorable the cause ,is despicable when done for self gain.
money does not make you a nice guy.

[Bina Neuwirth]

03:23 AM on 05/19/2011

Yes, this is financial blackmail. Michael Bloomberg just grew a fourth testicle.

[JLFL]

07:31 AM on 05/20/2011

This is far from financial blackmail.
If this is your definition of financial blackmail, what would you consider the small group of christian zealots that informed Republicans like Boehner, that unless DOMA was defended, there would be no funding for them from that group?
You make no sense.

[Bina Neuwirth]

11:01 AM on 05/20/2011

Dude, take a breather. I am as gay as they come AND in college, that should give you an idea of how liberal I am.

[womenforaction]

09:57 PM on 05/18/2011

Backing gay marriage may possibly be a window of opportunity for Bloomberg. If he goes down in history as being the lead politician for getting this bill passed, it will be highly beneficial for his political career. He is the wealthiest politician in the U.S. with a net-worth of 4.8 billion. He is more likely to be his own man when making political decisions, and less likely to be loyal to any political party. I have to say that he is extremely clever.

[Father Geoffrey Farrow]

09:48 PM on 05/18/2011

Dear Jason N,

All marriages in the USA are Civil Marriages (secular). Marriage is a legal contract between two adults that confers over 1,000 legal rights and obligations. These include, but are not limited to, immigration, credit rating, IRS filing status, Social Security, Health Insurance benefits, Parental rights/obligations, base housing for military families, etc.

It is a felony for clergy (or anyone else) to officiate a marriage without a Civil Marriage License. Clergy are free to deny religious marriage rites to anyone for any reason. As a Catholic priest, the Church required me to deny Sacramental (religious) Marriage to couples that were previously married and divorced [Mark 10:11-12]. I am a friend with a Rabbi who has denied Religious Marriage to couples, because one of them was not Jewish.

However, those couples are free to enter into a Civil (non-religious) Marriage at City Hall. Same-sex couples enjoy that same legal right to a Civil Marriage in various states today. When DOMA is eventually repealed, they will enjoy that legal right throughout the USA. Clergy may freely deny them, or any other couple, religious marriage. If you attempt to sue clergy for refusing you a religious wedding, an attorney will explain to you that you have no case.

Therefore, while all marriages are Civil (secular) Marriages and legally binding contracts ended by either death or divorce, not all marriages are religious.

Father Geoff Farrow

[Bina Neuwirth]

02:57 AM on 05/19/2011

Well said.

[Nick Tarlton]

12:44 AM on 05/20/2011

thank you father..

[Atwill]

08:56 PM on 05/18/2011

good for him.

[ElDru]

06:18 PM on 05/18/2011

Why didn't he do this sooner?

[dmessy]

06:11 PM on 05/18/2011

it's his money...

[Kathleen Austin]

05:46 PM on 05/18/2011

I think the mans an idiot. How dare he bully people into what he believes. Just like a Dem, like it or.......

[belladio]

05:56 PM on 05/18/2011

What part of "it's his money" do you not understand?

[JLFL]

06:15 PM on 05/18/2011

It's no different than you bullying a Republican into defending DOMA by refusing to contribute to their campaigns unless they support DOMA. Get a grip - your statement defies all possible logical thinking.

[fisher515]

05:45 PM on 05/18/2011

Money funding politicians IS the problem with this country. I'm sick of all you libs wanting equal rights for everything except an unborn fetus (that is life) and can't defend her/himself. Millions killed a year. Please....

[Golfrrs]

05:46 PM on 05/18/2011

total bible thumping BS

[fisher515]

05:49 PM on 05/18/2011

Just reality Tiger...

[brklynivn]

05:53 PM on 05/18/2011

Well maybe if the ultra conservatives would teach the facts of life to their kids instead burying their heads in the sand there wouldn't be so many unwanted pregnancies. I'm amazed at all these wingnuts who had no self-control or compassion and had four or five abortions and then suddenly realize they were wrong once they get so-called "saved".

[Anonygrazer]

09:18 PM on 05/18/2011

1) Oh, it's only the ultra-conservatives who get pregnant? Very narrow minded assumption on your part.
2) Your arguement is in response to fisher515. How do you know this person fits your hateful description? Is a woman? Ever had a child? Had an abortion? Very illogical little rant you got there.

[fisher515]

01:26 PM on 05/19/2011

A very feelings based response with no reference. Your bitterness towards anyone who disagrees with your liberal position is telling to your person. True conservatives believe in sex within marriage only and not outside of it and do teach their children the same. If one of our children did get pregnant outside of marriage we would deal with it without killing the innocent child you refer to as unwanted. We would help raise it and support our child and there baby. There are hypocrites, but you're generalizing that all "wingnuts" are such. You're obviously your own god and make your own rules and judgments based on your feelings of what you think is fair, right or wrong. Some believe what God says follow Him and His wisdom. I have to right to disagree. If you were only as passionate about the unborn live fetus that is squashed like bug and felt its pain you might respond differently.

[unique]

05:41 PM on 05/18/2011

Now here is a man who puts his money where his mouth is.................

[Nancy84]

05:38 PM on 05/18/2011

I think this could be looked at differently. Instead of letting them call it a defense of marriage, change the argument to .... the government is trying to restrict your right to choose....... to choose who you are going to marry. Put the states on the defense.

[SilGal]

05:44 PM on 05/18/2011

I think you're right about this. Well said!

[HekmagaJuximaxx]

05:18 PM on 05/18/2011

I support gay right and marriage 100 percent, but Bloomberg is the very LAST man you want as a spokesperson for the cause. Pick somebody more successful, please.

[Mplsuptown]

06:02 PM on 05/18/2011

Maybe Trump will change his mind...again.

[HekmagaJuximaxx]

05:17 PM on 05/18/2011

If he has time to support gay rights, he has time to fire Sadik-Khan and to fix the problems at the Queensboro Bridge. Three accidents in the exact same spot, multiple fatalities, and the best this man can do is a song and dance about something he cares nothing about.

[Ioan Lightoller]

01:54 AM on 05/19/2011

And how do you know he doesn't care about it?

[Dancenownzen]

05:12 PM on 05/18/2011

Standing TALL and CLAPPING