Allen Roskoff is AKA William’s new Political Director and columnist. Allen will be bringing us the best, the worst, and the unbelievable in LGBT politics.
Need help with separating the politicized spin from the political facts?
Let Allen give you a hand.
This week: Michael Bloomberg is running for a third term as mayor of New York City, but Allen isn’t having it.
MICHAEL BLOOMBERG — SPINNING FOR MAYOR (Pt. 1 of 2)
The Spin:
Michael Bloomberg maintains that marriage equality is essential for LGBT New Yorkers and long overdue. He says that he will push hard with Republican State Senators to get the Marriage Equality bill through the New York State Senate.
The Facts:
Michael Bloomberg is the reason that gay and lesbian couples cannot marry in New York today.
In 2005, facing a Republican primary, Bloomberg appealed a court order from Justice Doris Ling Cohan ordering NYC to start issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Had Bloomberg not appealed and all other appeals around the state been dropped, gay and lesbian couples would be able to legally marry in New York City today. Prior to appealing the order, Bloomberg would not even say whether or not he supported the right of same-sex couples to marry.
Michael Bloomberg claims his Corporation Counsel told him he had to submit the appeal, but my reliable sources in that office say they told him directly that he did not have to appeal and probably should not appeal. Thousands of gay couples from all over the world could have legally married in New York but for the actions of Mike Bloomberg.
Michael Bloomberg is the biggest individual donor to State Senate Republicans in history—the very people blocking votes on gay rights and marriage equality.
Michael Bloomberg’s saying he promotes marriage equality is a sick joke, and his gay supporters, such as conservative right wing supporter “gay Democrat in name only” Richard Socarides and other “members” of the Democratic Party, know this all to well.
Socarides calls Michael Bloomberg’s support for marriage equality “outstanding, and without his help we would not have progressed as far as we have in New York City.” This is pure spin and a laughably deliberate lie.
October 27th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
Too bad that AKA William now let’s bitter Democratic operators be a Political Director. Mr. Roskoff obviously has some beef with Mr. Bloomberg, maybe because he worked for Mark Green when he was beaten by Bloomberg.
I guess you can discuss Bloomberg’s support for LGBT issue, I am okay with it, he seems to be quite fair-minded (also in his company by the way).
Democrats should rather explain why we don’t have marriage equality in NY yet, despite the fact that they have the majority in house and senate in Albany. It’s not Mike Bloomberg it’s Democratic politicians that are holding up equality.
But I guess Mr Roskoff is more out to take verbal revenge against Mr. Bloomberg. That plum job in 2001 was just so close…
October 28th, 2009 at 7:52 am
Thank you, Allen for making it all so clear for me. We need this information and anyone for whom this information is crucially important should take it into account when voting next Tuesday. Bravo! I also note the Bloomberg ad on the website page, and his ads are pasted everywhere. Bloomberg has tried to buy this election. People: Don’t let him do it!
October 31st, 2009 at 11:03 am
Bloomberg has been consistently and viciously homophobic. No self respecting queer would even seriously think of voting for that bigot.