Protesters Decry NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn Outside Debate

Protesters waved anti-Christine Quinn signs outside of an event where the openly lesbian NYC Council Speaker debated two other candidates for her seat.

While City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn’s campaign experience showed in a debate among three of the Democrats vying for her seat, it was Maria Passannante-Derr who brought the heat to the August 13 event. “You’re the second most powerful official in New York City,” Passannante-Derr said to Quinn when the candidates were discussing a 2005 lawsuit brought by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg that successfully appealed a state court decision allowing same-sex marriage. “You could have used your influence to stop that lawsuit. If you did, there would be same-sex marriage in New York today.” Quinn, who was unfazed by the attacks from Passannante-Derr and milder shots from Yetta Kurland during the 90-minute debate, countered that she had opposed that suit. “I think the lawsuit that Mayor Bloomberg brought was outrageous and I spoke out against it,” she said. Quinn, an out lesbian, noted that she had lobbied Republican state senators in an effort to enact same-sex marriage in New York.

Both of Quinn's opponents are also out lesbians. Some of Quinn's former supporters are irate that she supported Mayor Bloomberg in his successful bid to overturn term limits restrictions and run for a third term. Quinn continues to bear criticism for last year's slush fund scandal. The debate was cosponsored by Gay City News and was moderated by editor Paul Schindler. A complete video of the debate is here. Things heat up around the 7:00 mark.