Addabbo Says Constituents Wanted Him To Vote Down Gay Marriage
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One of the eight Democratic state senators who helped defeat a bill legalizing same-sex marriage said Friday that he was just carrying out the will of his district. NY1's Michael Scotto filed the following report.State Senator Joseph Addabbo was once considered a swing vote on same-sex marriage, but when his name was called on Wednesday, the Queens Democrat voted no.
"My district is overwhelmingly against the issue of marriage equality," he said Friday.
On Wednesday, Addabbo did not give any explanation for his vote. Two days later, Addabbo, who refuses to give his personal opinion about gay marriage, said the views of his constituents persuaded him to vote no.
Addabbo said before the vote, his office got hundreds of calls and e-mails, and the majority urged the senator not to allow gays and lesbians to marry.
"This transcends the idea of equal rights," said Addabbo. "We can talk about the issue of marriage equality on different levels: you can talk about it on a morality level, on a religious level, on a civil rights level."
His vote was a disappointment to gay rights groups, which contributed heavily to Addabbo's 2008 campaign. The Empire State Pride Agenda, according to campaign finance records, donated $8,000 to him. Prominent gay rights activist Tim Gill donated $9,500 to Addabbo and openly gay State Senator Tom Duane gave $2,500.
Addabbo said he never promised gay rights advocates anything, and he also dismissed the charge that his no vote set off a domino effect, since he was the second senator to cast his vote and the first to vote no.
"The fact that the Republicans all voted no and the fact that there were so many Democrats who voted no, there is no way, in my estimation, that I could have been a leading or a guiding or an influential vote," said Addabbo.
The bill is unlikely to come up for a vote again any time soon. Governor David Paterson said Friday that he is waiting for more senators to get behind it.
"I won't reintroduce the issue unless I see substantial change in the positions of the legislators," said Paterson.
With every state senator up for re-election next year, position changes probably won't happen.