After pushing, unsuccessfully, for same-sex marriage in Albany, the seven-year director of the Empire State Pride Agenda has left his job and is now working with the New York City comptroller.
Alan van Capelle's strategy to legalize same-sex marriage in New York hid a major roadblock last year when the Democratic's narrow majority the State Senate Read More
Harold Ford Jr.'s announcement this morning that he supports same-sex marriage isn't doing that much to assuage criticism from those who remember that Ford voted twice to change the U.S. constitution to ban same-sex marriage.
In a statement, the executive director of the Empire State Pride Agenda, Alan Van Capelle, slammed Ford as a "snake Read More
Yesterday, The Advocate named Senator Kirsten Gillibrand one of the magazine's five People of the Year, celebrating her efforts to pass same-sex marriage and repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell.
But Ms. Gillibrand would prefer you think of it more like a lifetime achievement award.
"It was by no means an introduction," Gillibrand told The Advocate of Read More
ALBANY—What went wrong?
Despite the spin, most everyone pushing for a bill legalizing same-sex marriage privately acknowledges that the 24-38 loss in the State Senate was a whopper, and while theories abound, there's no clear explaination for how the bill was so soundly defeated.
Senator Eric Schneiderman started by blaming Republicans.
"If you look Read More
ALBANY—The path is now truly clear for the State Senate to consider a bill legalizing same-sex marriage today.
The legislature is still in extraordinary session, so the measure had to be re-passed by the State Assembly to become law. That chamber has previously approved the bill twice, and affirmed it once again Read More
ALBANY—Alan Van Capelle, executive director of the Empire State Pride Agenda, just said he believes "we had the votes back in June, and I still believe we have the votes today" to pass the same-sex marriage bill.
Van Capelle has been pushing furiously for a vote this year, even though he is nearly alone Read More
ALBANY—A vote on same-sex marriage will be held "at a date not certain between now and the end of the year," David Paterson just promised publicly.
"This is the first time the Senate leadership has indicated that it will support a vote on marriage equality," Paterson said. He also committed to putting the bill Read More
ALBANY—With tomorrow's expected vote on same-sex marriage, advocates of the legislation say they're busing in 700 clergy members from around the state.
"This list represents a diverse group of faith traditions and congregations from all corners of our state. The leaders of these religious institutions understand the spiritual value of respecting all members of Read More
ALBANY—David Paterson officially officially proclaimed a special session on Tuesday to consider his $3 billion plan to bridge a mid-year deficit as well as other miscellaneous legislative business, even though no budget-cutting agreements have been reached among the governor and legislative leaders.
Paterson's formal proclamation for the session is a political wish list: Read More
Governor David Paterson has promised to put same-sex marriage on the agenda when he calls lawmakers back to Albany for a special session to deal with business left undone since the coup back in June.
“Marriage equality will be on the calendar,” Paterson told an audience at the Empire State Pride Agenda’s annual fund-raiser in Manhattan Read More
ALBANY—September has come and gone, and the State Senate still has not acted on same-sex marriage legislation. Advocates of the bill do not want to let October pass.
"The Senate needs to come back and debate this bill and have an up-and-down vote on this bill in October," Alan Van Capelle, executive director of Read More
ALBANY—The Empire State Pride Agenda has "pivoted" its strategy to legalize same-sex marriage: wait and "re-connect" this summer before addressing the issue in an extraordinary session in September, a shift from their no-holds-barred push earlier this year. "You don't want people voting on this when they're just exhausted. The Senate is tired, and there's a Read More
ALBANY—The Empire State Pride Agenda has "pivoted" its strategy to legalize same-sex marriage: wait and "re-connect" this summer before addressing the issue in an extraordinary session in September, a shift from their no-holds-barred push earlier this year.
"You don't want people voting on this when they're just exhausted. The Senate is tired, and Read More
ALBANY—David Paterson publicly declared Sunday he would force the State Senate into a special session on Tuesday, barring some resolution of the leadership struggle in the chamber that is entering its third week.
In doing so, Paterson had harsh words for senators, many of whom are former colleagues: "Over the last few weeks, the Read More
ALBANY—David Paterson publicly declared Sunday he would force the State Senate into a special session on Tuesday, barring some resolution of the leadership struggle in the chamber that is entering its third week. In doing so, Paterson had harsh words for senators, many of whom are former colleagues: "Over the last few weeks, the senators' Read More
