NEW YORK: Gay Pol Thanks Miley Cyrus For Help With Homeless Youth Funding Bill

Openly gay New York Sen. Brad Hoylman today thanked pop star Miley Cyrus for helping win millions of dollars in state funding for homeless youth shelters. Via DNA Info:

The 2015 New York State Budget now has $4.5 million in funding for homeless youth shelters, the first significant increase in seven years — thanks to Miley Cyrus. State Sen. Brad Hoylman said credit for convincing Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos to include the funding belongs to the "Wrecking Ball" singer. "I want to thank Miley Cyrus for her advocacy in helping raise awareness through our #5000TooMany social media campaign," Hoylman said in a statement. "Miley’s advocacy on behalf of homeless kids made a difference and is a perfect example how star power can be used to help others." Cyrus sent a letter to the Albany power trio a week ago urging them to include the funding in the budget.

State funding for homeless youth had been cut by two-thirds since 2008. The restored funding will reportedly pay for 1000 new shelter beds. The above-linked story does not specify how the new funding might be distributed to homeless LGBT youth services such as the Ali Forney Center.

NY Senate Considers GENDA (Again)

The New York state Assembly has approved the Gender Expression and Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) five times. And four times the bill has died in the state Senate. Will attempt number five be the one?

"I believe the votes are there. The challenge is getting a vote in the Senate. Folks are going to support expanded equal rights if they're forced to be on the record," said Sen. Daniel Squadron, a Manhattan Democrat and chief Senate sponsor. "It seems to be a core civil rights issue." New York was the sixth state to legalize same-sex marriage but Squadron said the state is falling behind here, where 16 states, New York City and several upstate cities and three counties have passed versions of GENDA. They include Albany, Rochester, Binghamton, Buffalo and Ithaca, as well as Westchester, Suffolk and Tompkins counties.

Asked about GENDA's chances, Senate Republican spokesman Mark Hansen said: "Our focus for the remainder of the session is to reduce taxes on businesses and create private sector new jobs." The Senate's Republican majority has historically backed bills to assure civil rights, including tougher penalties for those accused of assaulting people because they are gay. With gay and transgender advocates a power politically, Senate passage could also remove an election year issue for Senate Democrats trying to retake the Senate majority. Cuomo has expressed his support.

Hundreds of activists will be swarming Albany today as part of the Empire State Agenda's annual lobbying day. Let's hope this final embarrassment to New York gets put behind us.

ALBANY: Vegan Billboards Go Up

An "anti-cheese" vegan group is posting billboards.

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine says cheese products play a big role in the epidemic of childhood obesity. The group wants the Albany city school district to cut cheese from its lunch menu, which is loaded with the stuff. Dr. Neal Barnard of the Physicians Committee wrote in a letter to school board President Daniel Egan that one in three students in New York are overweight or obese.

I'm having dinner at Go 99 just because.

Today In Albany

I'm fairly sure I first posted this cartoon here a couple of years ago, but it's being passed around on Twitter today and feels just as true as when it was first published.

ALBANY: Bigoted Football Star David Tyree Delivers 63K Anti-Gay Petitions

Former New York Giants player David Tyree yesterday delivered 63,000 anti-gay petitions to lawmakers in Albany.

Last week, Tyree appeared in a National Organization of Marriage video saying that same-sex marriage would lead to "anarchy." On Monday, he spoke to reporters in Albany saying that gay marriage is bad for society and for Christians. "A moral fiber of a country is its laws, which is the essential make-up of government," said Tyree. "Once you allow same-sex marriage, it opens up the door for a continued softening of the backbone of our society which will eventually, for generations to come, open the door for – who knows? – polygamy, and all other types of the sorts," he said. "And in the sense where people do have strong Christian convictions, that takes away in a sense our religious freedoms because none of the things we believe essentially lines up with same-sex marriage."

Tyree told reporters that he would gladly give up his Super Bowl championship in return for stopping gay marriage in new York.

Rabbi Rumble In Albany

Yesterday afternoon a group of violently anti-gay Hasidic Jews took great exception when openly lesbian Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum attempted to insert herself into a photo opportunity.

Tomorrow In Albany!

ALBANY: Anti-Gay Christianists Pray Against Same-Sex Marriage

Anti-gay groups put out a call this morning for supporters to swarm the halls of the New York state house and form prayer circles against same-sex marriage.

(Tipped by JMG reader Wilson)

NEW YORK: Bloomberg Pressures GOP Senators On Marriage Equality

Gay City News reports that NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn visited Albany yesterday to personally lobby GOP state Senators on same-sex marriage.

“Today I’ve been spending time talking to Republican senators,” Bloomberg said. “I’ve been reminding them marriage equality is entirely consistent with the GOP’s core values of promoting limited government and individual liberty.” Bloomberg said Senate Republicans — who ultimately get to decide whether a bill hits the floor for a vote — were Tuesday’s focus, but did not close the door on lobbying undecided Democrats, such as Joseph Addabbo and Shirley Huntley of Queens and Carl Kruger from Brooklyn. “If Chris [Quinn] or anyone else thinks it’s useful for me to call or visit, I am certainly not reticent to tell you what I believe or what I think is right,” said Bloomberg, who finished his day by meeting with Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos.

Last week openly gay Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell introduced a marriage equality bill to his chamber. The Assembly has approved same-sex marriage three times in years past.

Monday In Albany: Empire State Pride Agenda's Equality And Justice Day

Find more details here.

Ali Forney Center Begs NY Gov. Cuomo: Don't Send Our Kids Back To The Streets

As the New York state budget inches closer to a major cut in funding for homeless youth shelters, today Ali Forney Center executive director Carl Siciliano posts a blistering letter to the governor in Gay City News. An excerpt:

Mr. Governor, I invite you to stop into one of our youth shelters. Maybe you can explain to our kids why they should be turned out of their beds and put in the street so you can give tax breaks to millionaires, to paraphrase your own father in his address at the 1984 Democratic Convention. Maybe you could explain how they are supposed to survive alone on the streets at night. I don’t have an answer for them, and their pain and confusion are palpable. Most of our clients are the most vulnerable LGBT youth in the community, rejected and abused by parents who cannot accept having gay children, discarded and thrown out of their homes simply for being LGBT. It is inexplicable how you –– a longtime ally to the gay community and champion of civil rights for LGBT adults, who has repeatedly made a commitment to marriage equality in New York –– can have so little concern for the safety and welfare of these young people.

Read Siciliano's letter in full.

TAKE ACTION: Sign Change.org's petition to Cuomo. You need not be a New York resident to sign. Call today: Governor Andrew Cuomo (518) 474-8390. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (518) 455-3791. Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (518) 455-3171.

ALBANY: Outed And Indicted Anti-Gay Sen. Carl Kruger Shunned By Lawmakers

Days after being released on bail for federal corruption charges, anti-gay and newly outed NY state Sen. Carl Kruger returned to Albany where his fellow lawmakers are now treating the once powerful Kruger like the steaming cesspool of a human that he is. The New York Times issues this blistering observance:

Mr. Kruger, his head down, again declined to speak to reporters. He piled into an elevator and stood, completely silent, as the elevator stopped, floor by floor, and people got on and off. Then he took an underground passageway from the Legislative Office Building to the Capitol. No one spoke to him. People stared, the way people stare when trying to seem as if they are not staring. Then another elevator — which seemed to take an afternoon to open its doors. Mr. Kruger’s every action was watched, his every embarrassment noted. On the Senate floor, he had to figure out where he was supposed to sit. The loss of his committee rank also lost him a prominent place. Mr. Kruger instead slouched in a seat in the back.

For now Kruger will remain in office while he and his wretched gynecologist boyfriend await trial on bribery and money laundering charges. He has been stripped of his post as the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, an office typically filthy with favor-seeking lobbyists as the legislature hammers out the budget. Yesterday he was to issue an apology to the Senate for the "distraction" of his arrest, but that speech was canceled after many refused to attend.

Billboard Of The Day

JMG reader Gavin snapped this billboard on Interstate 90 near Albany, New York. More about the sponsoring organization can be found here. I love it.

NOM's Eyewitless News

NOM has created a fake newscast about their appearances in Albany and Providence. THEY are the victims here people, not the millions of Americans whose oppression comes at their hands.

Photo Of The Day - New York NOM Fail

The Hate Bus lurched into Albany today where the NOMbies were again far outnumbered by protesters, who ringed the podium holding rainbow-colored umbrellas. (With their backs turned for added emphasis.) More photos of this latest NOM Fail over at the Courage Campaign.

NY Senate Live Stream: Marriage Equality Vote Imminent

Well, let's play Lucy with the football. AGAIN. The NY Senate is convening any moment. Last night the state Assembly reapproved same-sex marriage for the third time, just in case and so Gov. Paterson can immediately sign the bill if the Senate, ya know, actually DOES anything.

UPDATE: The Marriage Equality Act has passed the NY Senate Rules Committee. As of this writing (noon EST), the Senate is voting on the budget. The marriage vote may come immediately afterwards.

UPDATE II: After naming all 31 states in which marriage bans have failed, head homophobe Sen. Ruben Diaz (D) urged the GOP members to remember their party's principles regarding "family values."

UPDATE III: The final vote: NO-38, YES-24. I've removed the live stream video player to improve site loading time.

NY Senate Live Stream: 9PM EST

The New York Senate is scheduled to go back into session at 9PM EST, at which time it looks like a vote on marriage equality MIGHT take place.

UPDATE: Yet ANOTHER false alarm. The NY Senate has adjourned for the night.

Albany: Stand 4 Marriage Rally

Maggie Gallgher, Tony Perkins, Bishop Harry Jackson, and NY Sen. Ruben Diaz led a "Stand 4 Marriage" rally on the steps of the capitol in Albany yesterday. Blah, blah, blah.

(Via - Good As You)

Today: Wingnut Stooges In Albany

Sen. Ruben Diaz, Tony Perkins, and Maggie Gallagher bring their Three Stooges road show to Albany today for their Stand 4 Marriage event. Bishop Harry "Shemp" Jackson will be in the wings with a bottle of seltzer.

Equality & Justice Day In Albany

JMG reader Gavin sends us the above shot of the Empire State Pride Agenda's Equality & Justice Day in Albany yesterday, where over 2000 LGBT activists lobbied their state reps for equal rights. Gavin reports that ten bus loads of activists came from NYC alone. Visit Gavin's blog for lots of great photos.