Back in 2011, then-New York Senator Jim Alesi betrayed marriage and his constituents by accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars from gay marriage advocates and flipping his position on marriage. But no amount of money can buy the support of voters once you've lost their trust. Sen. Alesi was subsequently driven from his re-election race by NOM's pledge to defeat him, and later claimed that his vote for same-sex marriage was what sunk his political career.
So what is former Sen. Alesi up to these days? New York Gov. Cuomo has just appointed him to the state Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board. According to Albany Watch:
The longtime lawmaker will make $90,800 annually on top of his pension, which totals $35,231, according to the Empire Center.
Alesi said Cuomo’s office reached out to him as it was filling vacancies on various boards and commissions. The former senator fills a seat that has been vacant since 2011, with his term lasting through Nov. 18, 2017.
The former senator was one of four Republicans to vote in favor of same-sex marriage in 2011, giving the bill key support to become law. He was repeatedly hailed by Cuomo following the vote, but stepped away from running for re-election in 2012.
