Looking Past the Assembly on Gay Marriage

I chatted with Alan Van Capelle, executive director of the Empire State Pride Agenda, about the push he's leading in Albany today for a same-sex marriage bill. The strategy, as he laid it out, is to get the bill--which Governor Spitzer supports--through the Assembly first, and then subsequently to “shame” the Republican-controlled Senate into passing it.

But that first step -- getting the bill passed through the Democratically-controlled Assembly -- is by no means a given.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has still not stated his personal position on the issue, on the grounds that he doesn’t want to prejudice the  Democratic conference. I asked his office yesterday if he’s ever taken a position on the issue before becoming Speaker. I’m still waiting to hear back.