Advocates Say Paterson Falls Short On Gay Marriage Issue

Governor David Paterson is under fire from some Democrats who say he has not done enough to help legalize gay marriage in New York. NY1′s Grace Rauh filed the following report.

Governor David Paterson has been a longtime supporter of gay marriage, and has even ordering state agencies to recognize same-sex unions performed outside New York.

But in the fight to legalize gay marriage in his own state, some lawmakers charge that Paterson isn’t doing his part.

“Say what you will about former Governor [Eliot] Spitzer, a blessing and a curse. However, working with him, we would have gotten this bill passed by now,” said Democratic Manhattan Senator Tom Duane. “We absolutely would have gotten this bill passed and we would have had a strategy. And we would have worked together and we would have made sure it became a reality.”

But there is new momentum behind the issue, in the wake of Iowa and Vermont’s recent moves to legalize same-sex marriage.

Paterson says he will introduce a gay marriage bill in the State Senate, but deeply angered supporters this week by arguing that the bill should move to the floor even if it doesn’t have the votes to pass.

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