Conservative Party Chairman Michael Long says denying legislative candidates endorsements because of their vote for same-sex marriage hasn’t changed.

“Anybody who votes to destroy traditional marriage would not receive our endorsement. That is in cement and there is no change,” he said.

... “My hope there is that the Erie County executive committee does what is correct in dealing with [Sen. Mark] Grisanti and that’s denying him the endorsement,” he said.

The long-awaited proposals to redraw state Senate and Assembly boundaries are finally out. And reviews are harsh particularly for the redrawn Senate map which would grow from 62 seats to 63.

“When you have legislators drawing their own designer districts, this is the product that you get,” said Barbara Bartoletti, league of Women Voters Legislative Director.

New boundaries for state and federal offices must be redrawn every 10 years based on the latest Census data. The process has been decried by good government groups for being stacked in favor of incumbent parties. The theory is that by carving the state into enough of a jigsaw puzzle, the reigning parties stay in power. It's created some odd looking shapes, including one known as Abe Lincoln Riding a Vacuum. That's gone under the proposal, but this new one could be called The Flying Bat.

“They're using every trick in the book. They're drawing new districts where they don't belong. They're throwing Democrats in districts together,” State Senator Michael Gianaris said.

GOP Senator Mark Grisanti district would now be entirely in Erie County, which increases his chances of keeping the Conservative Party line, even though he voted for same-sex marriage. There's also a new Senate seat proposed for the Albany region carved out with areas that contain Republican voters. When viewed as a whole, the map shows a representation shift to Republican heavy upstate, which could help the party maintain control of the chamber. - YNN

If the new Senate redistricting lines are approved, it would render the upcoming March 20 special election to fill the Brooklyn seat of convicted ex-Sen. Carl Kruger practically meaningless.

That’s because the two candidates running, Democrat City Councilman Lew Fidler and Republican David Storobin would no longer live in the district under the plan. The two would be shifted out of the district as part of the creation of an Orthodox Jewish-heavy district centered in Borough Park.

Fidler, under the propposal, would reside in Senate Democratic Minority Leader John Sampson’s district while Storobin would share a district with Democratic Sen. Diane Savino, according to a city-based source.

"The special election is March 20 with two people running, neither of whom can represent the district once things are settled," a source said.

Dear Marriage Supporter,

As you know, the National Organization for Marriage fights to protect marriage in all 50 states.

But you also know that New York is critically important—more so than most others.

The same-sex marriage lobbyists have been focusing on the Empire State for a long time, pouring millions of dollars into their campaigns to permanently legalize gay marriage. Now they are focused on convincing you and your fellow citizens of the LIE that the fight is over.

That is why we have a special battle plan to protect marriage in New York in 2012, and why I am writing you today.

Our fight to repeal New York's same-sex marriage law will escalate in 2012. NOM has pledged $2 million to oppose pro-gay marriage legislators who betrayed us on marriage. We must send an emphatic message to the "business-as-usual" crowd in Albany: sell out your constituents at your own risk!

Over the years, NOM has defeated every pro-gay marriage Republican we have ever targeted. With your help, we will continue that trend in New York. We will win for New Yorkers their right to vote on a statewide referendum to uphold marriage and, I've no doubt, restore the definition of true marriage in the Empire State.

Will you help fund our 2012 campaign in New York by making one special gift to the NOM NY PAC right now?

The bottom line: 2012 will either be the year when traditional marriage makes a comeback...

...or it will be the year when the same-sex marriage lobbyists knock the doors down and begin their assault on marriage in all 50 states.

As always, the success of our campaign depends on you, Marriage Supporter.

So please, to protect marriage in New York, make one urgent financial gift today.

Thank you in advance, and God bless you.

Sincerely

Brian S. Brown
Treasurer
NOM PAC New York

P.S. We know the anti-marriage bullies will outspend us in New York. Mayor Bloomberg, Governor Cuomo and their Wall Street buddies have already raised MILLIONS of dollars for the re-election campaigns of the senators who betrayed us. They will also use much nastier tactics. But the people are on our side, so as long as we have the resources necessary to spread the truth and fight back against the smear campaigns, we will win. So please make the most generous financial gift you can afford at this time. Thanks again.

Albany County Executive Dan McCoy strongly defended his pick of a former Republican lawyer for county attorney Friday as a prominent gay rights activist launched a campaign to block the man's confirmation because of his ties to conservative organization that opposes same-sex marriage and abortion rights.

McCoy's nomination this month of Thomas Marcelle to the top legal post in a staunchly Democratic county was unlikely to pass without controversy.

But opposition to the pick that had been percolating behind the scenes for two weeks went public Friday when political consultant and LGBT activist Libby Post put up a website ... urging McCoy to withdraw Marcelle's name from consideration or, failing that, for the Democrat-led County Legislature to refuse to confirm him.

Post zeroed in on Marcelle's affiliation with the Alliance Defense Fund, a conservative national organization that describes itself as providing "resources that will keep the door open for the spread of the Gospel through the legal defense of religious freedom, the sanctity of life, marriage and the family."

...But McCoy — a Democrat who said he is both pro-choice and in favor same-sex marriage — dismissed Post's criticism, saying she was suggesting he should impose political and social litmus tests on people he hires for government jobs.

"I should have put on the application to check off whether you're Conservative, Dem., Republican or whatever your affiliation is?" McCoy said. "I didn't hire the guy for his religious beliefs. I hired him because he's a hell of an attorney and he's well overqualified."

“I am not a political analyst, I am not a political consultant, neither am I a political strategist, but looking at our recent situation as Democrats in the New York State Senate, I cannot refrain from putting in my two cents.”

“Can our leadership re-claim the Majority in the next year’s election? From what I see, this is not impossible, but it will be very difficult due to the fact that Senator Oppenheimer is resigning and I am very concerned that her seat might be won by a Republicans and the Democrats could lose that seat. Also, with Senator Carl Kruger’s resignation, that open seat might also be in jeopardy – there is a very good chance that a Republican may win that seat also.”

I do not doubt that the four Republican New York state senators who voted for same-sex marriage are convinced of the rightness of their votes. I would, however, look askance at any suggestion that they are the courageous new heroes of our time, with motives wholly principled and pure. As the New York Times reports, they have a big payday coming...

The same-sex marriage lobby seems to operate by flat-footed progressive bullying (“get on the right side of history”) followed by gigantic payouts to those who fall in line. It’s a fine way to win a political fight, there’s no gainsaying that, but it has hardly created a hall of heroes.

Whether or not they actually come out ahead remains to be seen: the National Organization for Marriage has launched its own formidable effort to raise the price of voting against marriage.

Senator James S. Alesi of East Rochester, the first Republican to say he would support same-sex marriage, had not filed his fund-raising report by Tuesday evening, but said in an interview that he would report having raised $350,000 to $400,000 during the same period. Mr. Alesi said more than half of his new donations came from same-sex marriage supporters.

“I didn’t vote for the money, but it’s gratifying to know that support is there, especially coming into an election year,” he said. “It’s more gratifying to me when someone comes up to me and says, ‘I appreciate your vote’; you can’t put a price on that.”

The senators will need the help. Same-sex marriage opponents have promised to target them when all state lawmakers face re-election in November.

“All the money in the world isn’t going to buy them out of the fact that they’re about to lose an election,” said Brian Brown, the president of the National Organization for Marriage, which opposed the New York law and has said it will spend heavily to oust the four senators.

“People are outraged by what they’ve done, and they are going to be held accountable,” he said.

Sources close to Republican David Storobin’s campaign tellPoliticker that the candidate has loaned himself $50,000 and raised a healthy $70,000 from donors so far in his quest to replace former State Senator Carl Kruger.

Mr. Kruger resigned before pleading guilty to federal corruption charges less than a month ago, setting up the current vacancy. Mr. Storobin is running his first campaign for elected office and started raising less than three weeks ago, making his fundraising tally a notable haul.

... The resulting fundraising dynamic between Mr. Fidler and Mr. Storobin looks like it might mirror another recent special election in southeastern Brooklyn, where now-Congressman Bob Turner raised less than half of what his Democratic opponent did, and a tiny fraction of all Democratic spending.

Indeed, Congressman Turner’s success is a primary reason for Republican optimism in their chances of taking over the seat once held by Mr. Kruger. Mr. Turner won roughly two votes in this State Senate district for every vote his opponent received, despite the fact that the area is largely Democratic in registration.

When asked how he feels about New York legalizing gay marriage, he says: "I think it's a bad thing ... this whole idea that homosexuality resembled race in any respect is nonsense. The whole idea that male homosexuality resembles lesbianism in any respect is nonsense. And so this whole idea of gay marriage is just a parody. It's an absurd concept." He goes on to say later in the interview that "laws about marriage" make sense to him, even as a libertarian.

Gilder also goes on to share views that we don't feel directly impact marriage, but do service to illustrate the various reasons he has come to his conclusions about marriage, family, and human "flourishing":

Republicans emboldened by a recent Congressional victory are eager to grab the state senate seat vacated by disgraced Sen. Carl Kruger - but they’re facing a popular Democrat who’s flush with cash.

The race is likely to pit Democratic City Councilman Lew Fidler against David Storobin, a lawyer and vice-chairman of the Brooklyn GOP.

The district is dominated by registered Democrats - but Republicans plan to mount an all-out push to repeat the upset scored by Rep. Bob Turner, who defeated Democrat David Weprin in a special election to replace disgraced pol Anthony Weiner.

“This is not a traditional Brooklyn district,” said Storobin, who immigrated from the Soviet Union when he was 12, got his start in politics volunteering for Rudy Giuliani, and hosted one of Brooklyn’s first Tea Party meetings. “Even the Democrats tend to be conservative Democrats.

... Fidler is viewed as well-liked in his Council district, where term limits prevent him from running again, and has already amassed a $332,000 war chest and taken out ads in Orthodox Jewish newspapers touting his accomplishments.

... Gov. Cuomo has called a special election for March 20 to replace Kruger, who resigned and pled guilty to a massive bribery scheme. The district covers parts of Sheepshead Bay, Brighton Beach, Mill Basin, and Canarsie - much of the same turf as the Congressional seat.

This is the last email I'm able to send you before tonight's midnight deadline and the conclusion of our tremendous million dollar matching campaign.

As you know, one of our most generous donors has offered to MATCH—dollar for dollar—every donation we receive, all the way up to one million dollars!

As of this morning, we have raised $894,915.06 toward our goal. We have only until midnight tonight to raise another $894,915.06 to take full advantage of this incredible opportunity!

Today is the last day for the match and we are so close!

Will you be the one to help put us over the top?

As you know, our opponents get huge checks from Hollywood celebrities or well-funded left-wing foundations. NOM counters with tens of thousands of small donations from supporters just like you, who sacrifice your time and money to defend marriage.

If we are able to take full advantage of the Year-End Million Dollar Match, we will have the sort of financial security and proof of grassroots support that will show the anti-marriage crowd that we are not going to roll over and allow marriage to be destroyed. It will send a strong message that we are ready to go toe-to-toe with the anti-marriage bullies all over America.

Will you do your part to help?

We are counting on you—one of our most loyal supporters—to make sure we receive every penny of this $1 million matching gift offer.

So please make one urgent year-end gift to the National Organization for Marriage before midnight tonight to put us over the top and send a message to those who would see marriage in America destroyed.

As I said, today is the last day before this offer expires–you must act now!

With so much at stake in 2012 (marriage under fire in dozens of states, the legal case to uphold Prop 8 in California, a bill to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act moving through the Senate, and the most important presidential election for marriage ever), we MUST close out 2011 on strong financial ground.

That's exactly what we'll do with this Million Dollar Matching Gift offer, but only if you make your own urgent, generous gift right away.

Thank you for all you have done and all that we will do together in 2012. Happy New Year!

Sincerely,

Brian S. Brown
President
National Organization for Marriage

P.S. Please do not delay. When thinking about how much you can afford to stop same-sex marriage from being imposed on your state in 2012, consider that your gift will be immediately matched for maximum effectiveness.

So please be as generous as you possibly can right now. The offer expires tonight at midnight, so I must hear from you as soon as possible. Thank you so much, and God bless you!

Say to who? His constituents? Or the out-of-state millionaires who paid him off for his vote?

Carl Kruger’s political corpse isn’t even cold yet, and already the fix is in as to who’ll get the best shot to replace him.

Kruger, a Brooklyn Democrat, pleaded guilty to corruption charges last week and resigned from the state Senate, leaving his seat up for grabs.

Party bosses swooped in like vultures.

... Fact is, New York has some of the nation’s most restrictive ballot-access laws, which enable party pooh-bahs to run a Friends & Family appointment system — while blocking challengers from ever getting their names before voters’ eyes.

... Let’s face it: Letting party bigwigs wield supreme nominating power serves no one but them. This time, notably, instead of Crowley, it’ll be Assemblyman Vito Lopez and the Brooklyn machine he runs that bless Fidler for the Dems.

... Outsiders need not apply.

Why should they? They’d have to overcome insurmountable petition-signature requirements and arcane legalistic rules meant precisely to keep them off the ballot.

No wonder Kruger-style corruption pervades New York politics: “Elected” officials owe their jobs more to the power brokers who install them than to actual voters.