New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on
Wednesday ostensibly responded to critics that he's not doing enough
to make the Empire State the sixth state to legalize gay marriage.
At a Lake Placid stop on his People
First Tour, Cuomo fought back against accusations by gay group Queer
Rising and the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club in New York that
he's pandering to the gay community.
“Cuomo's support for marriage
equality is appearing more to be a political stunt than an act of
commitment to do the right thing,” Queer Rising's Natasha Dillon
said. “The governor has not done the lobbying necessary to change
votes. He had misled New Yorkers into believing that passage of
marriage equality was going to happen this year and now is
backtracking.”
“It is a critical issue,” Cuomo
said on Wednesday.
“It's an issue where the people of
this state have evolved on this issue. The majority of the people of
the state now support marriage equality. That was not true just a
few years ago.”
“We're making progress. I'm doing
everything I can. We'll see. We'll keep our fingers crossed. I'm
cautiously optimistic.”
Two years ago, a gay marriage bill was
defeated in the New York Senate. Many analysts suggested events
outside of New York's borders affected the vote, which in turn
affected a failed effort in New Jersey. Like then, gay marriage
supporters have felt defeat this legislative season. In Minnesota,
instead of promoting a gay marriage bill, supporters find themselves
fighting off a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage after
Republicans gained control of both chambers of the Legislature.
Efforts in Maryland and Rhode Island have also been scuttled.
The coalition of gay rights groups
leading the fight to legalize the institution in the state came to
Cuomo's defense.
“All of us are committed to this
legislative strategy which requires persistence, patience,
dedication, discipline and most of all unity,” New Yorkers United
For Marriage said in a statement. “In this way, we will bring
marriage equality to New York State. We thank Governor Cuomo for his
leadership and stand together for equality.”
The legislative session ends on June
15.