BY CELESTE KATZ
Bloomberg spoke to the press corps, including our Erin Einhorn, following the opening of a new East River esplanade at Wall Street -- and following reports thatHizzoner cut sizable checks to the four GOP state senators who put same-sex marriage legislation over the top.
Mayor Bloomberg said today he "owes it to his children" to support elected officials who stand up and "do the right thing" -- even if their actions have repercussions at the voting booth.
Bloomberg spoke to the press corps, including our Erin Einhorn, following the opening of a new East River esplanade at Wall Street -- and following reports thatHizzoner cut sizable checks to the four GOP state senators who put same-sex marriage legislation over the top.The mayor declined to answer a question about any other candidates he may be supporting soon but did spell out his contribution philosophy. Here’s the exchange, per Einhorn:
Q: I know you made some contributions to Republican senators who voted the way you wanted on gay marriage. Are there any other…
A: They didn’t vote the way I wanted. They voted the right way. They voted the way for freedom, for democracy, for equality, and I think we should all support that.
Q: Are there any other candidates – city or federal – who you’re supporting financially?
A: I support lots of people. I support people that I think are good for the country, good for the state, good for the city. I support people around the country because a vote in the Senate or in the house is the same vote whether it comes from somebody who is a resident or represents another state or district or here. Same thing in the assembly and the senate in Albany. Same thing in the city. I don’t just support the city council person in the district where I live because all their votes count equally and I feel very strongly. Supporting somebody because of party is, I think, something that just is as nonsensical a thing as I can think of. Voting for somebody because they do the right thing, particularly when it’s not politically easy to do, that’s exactly the kind of support we should give and I’d like to think that I’m doing the right thing. I owe it to my children.
Meanwhile, Democratic state Sen. Ruben Diaz, Sr. of the Bronx -- a reverend and vociferous gay marriage opponent -- followed the money, calling the donations a clear case of quid pro quo.
"It appears that State Senators Stephen Saland, Mark Grisanti, James Alesi and Roy McDonald sold their votes to the Mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg for $10,300 each," Diaz said in a statement today.
"At least this is the impression and feeling everyone is getting by reading the city newspapers that two weeks after their vote, Mayor Bloomberg, who previously declared his intentions to support and help finance any senator who would vote in favor of gay marriage and complied with his edict, sent a check to each one of them for the maximum amount allowed by law. If this is not a quid pro quo, please tell me what this is?"
