Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell (D-Manhattan) has broken from what had been a tightly choreographed strategy to pass same-sex "marriage" legislation in New York. Mr. O’Donnell refused to wait any longer for New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to introduce a program bill that would legalize same-sex "marriages", and took what looks to be an independent action to introduce the gay "marriage" bill once again.

“Oddly enough, it’s encouraging for advocates of authentic marriage,” said Rev. Jason J. McGuire, Executive Director, New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms. “Up to this point all we have heard was that this new coalition was going to push for passage of the legislation before the end of June. The public was led to believe that it was inevitable, but I think now we see that this coalition can’t even hold its strategy together for a matter of a few weeks, let alone the time needed to get the job done,” continued McGuire.

Rev. Duane Motley, Senior Lobbyist, New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms, said, “No doubt watching the steady stream of votes that had been for gay ‘marriage’ leave the State Assembly (some through last November’s lost election seats, others through retirement or appointments to the Cuomo Administration) is causing some consternation in the lower chamber. Publicly Democratic leadership in the State Assembly is saying the votes are there, but the vote will certainly be much closer than it was last time. There is reason for gay ‘marriage’ advocates to be nervous.”

McGuire believes that Governor Andrew Cuomo is merely using the issue of gay “marriage” to woo back his liberal base after what proved to be a fiscally-conservative budget cycle. “This is the only issue that Cuomo can try to move that won’t cost the state anything up front, but would still please the left wing of his party. It’s unfortunate however, that the Governor and other bill advocates won’t even consider the long-term fiscal and societal implications of creating family structures that deny children their biological mom or dad.”

New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms remains committed to defending the authentic definition of marriage in New York State.