New York State Assemblyman Daniel
O'Donnell will marry boyfriend John Banta on Sunday after a 31-year
engagement, NY1 reported.
O'Donnell, the brother of openly gay
talk show host Rosie O'Donnell, and Banta met at Catholic University
in 1978 and began dating two years later. Banta is the director of
special events for the Metropolitan Opera.
The 51-year-old O'Donnell introduced
five bills to legalize gay marriage in the past four years.
“I'm a little anxious … It's a lot
of people,” O'Donnell told the Village
Voice, referring to his wedding's 400 person guest list.
“After 31 years, I'm not worried if he is the right one.”
“Many people grow up and have
fantasies about what this day is going to be like. I didn't really
have that.”
On the subject of New York becoming the
sixth state to legalize gay marriage in June, O'Donnell said: “When
you are deprived of something … You don't understand what it means
to be given that chance … It was clear to me that John and I would
take this option.”