Garden State Equality Apologizes For Endorsing Mary Pat Angelini
In an email sent to his members in the 11th Legislative District this afternoon, Garden State Equality President Steve Goldstein apologized for endorsing Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini in last November’s election.
Angelini, who has been very supportive of the gay lobbying group was absent for the Assembly vote on the Marriage Equality and Religious Exemptions Act on Thursday. The bill passed 42-33 with two Democrats voting NO.
Angelini was on vacation, celebrating her 25th wedding anniversary in Jamaica, according to Goldstein’s email.
Goldstein said that he and two other GSE members met with the Assemblywoman on Friday, February 10th in an attempt to persuade her to cut her vacation short in order to be present of the vote. Angelini refused stating that the bill had the votes to pass anyway and in the unexpected event that it failed, it would be voted on again in a matter of weeks.
Goldstein, and “an avalanche of calls and emails” said it did not matter that the bill had enough votes to pass:
Dear members, as so many of you have told us through your avalance of calls and emails, it shouldn’t matter whether or not Mary Pat’s vote was needed. She is elected to vote in the legislature, and certainly elected to vote on the biggest issues of the day – perhaps the biggest issue of all time to so many in her district like you. If you are a public servant, there are absoluely times to have personal lives. Was this really one of them, especially when the legislature will be on break in a month?
Goldstein said that the group was “deeply pained” by Angelini’s absence.
Goldstein said he received more calls and emails filled with “deep pain and anger” than he received after Sean Kean’s 2009 vote against a similar bill and Kean’s “remarkably insensitive speech” about that vote. The calls and emails suggested that GSE extract a written promise from Angelini that she will vote to override Governor Christie’s veto and that she work on other Republican legislators to do the same.
Goldstein’s entire email can be read here.
Asked to comment, Angelini said she had not seen the email. MMM forwarded it to her. This post will be update if she comments.
In addition to the comments about Angelini, Goldstein praised Senator Jennifer Beck for her work in support of the gay marriage bill. He also promised to make up for GSE’s endorsement of Angelini to Vin Gopal, one of Angelini’s opponents last November, in his upcoming race against Marlboro Councilman Frank LaRocca for the Monmouth County Democratic Chairmanship.
More from my site
Beck, Angelini, Pledge Gay Marriage Support
Have Civil Unions Worked?
Casagrande’s Cowardice
O’Scanlon Reiterates His Support Of Gay Marriage
Without Vin Gopal, Kucinich Loses Congressional Seat- Winners and Losers of 2013, Part One
Is Gay Marriage A Simple Issue?
Why the push for same sex marriage now?
Garden State Equality Launches Campaign To Convert Chick-fil-A Operators To Their Cause
N.J. legislators inching toward override of Christie’s gay marriage veto
what trivial, ponderous bollocks…this guy Goldstein must be fighting for his job. the clumsiest backtrack of the year so far.
it was a cowardly move to endorse all but one candidate last year, and now, to apologize because of the “avalanche of calls” …sheesh! get this guy a spine!
Mary Pat needs to be watched to see if she joins Beck in an attempt to override the governor’s veto. When will Mary Pat wake up and smell the coffee that this group is not her ally.
What an ass. (Goldstein, not MP)
Give me a break with these numbskulls. Nobody cares about this stupid issue. Our property taxes and unemployment are way too high in this state. That’s what people care about. A message to Mary Pat and Jen Beck – stop kissing the butts of these people. If they are good citizens and care about what is really important in this state, they’ll support you. If they are radical, one-issue loons (which they are), then they won’t.
I’m starting to agree with Proud Republican, Sage, and anonymous. We don’t need these liberal jerks. They have turned on people they thought would be there for them. I was
sympathetic at one time but no more. We need jobs and lower taxes period.
So Goldstein wants the right to marry, but objects to Mary Pat celebrating 25 years of her own marriage?
That’s why there shouldn’t be gay marriage. Many of tem simply don’t respect the sanctity of the vow.
Maybe I am old fashioned, but if you are elected and paid to be somewhere (in this case the Legislature), how about planning vacations and/or trips for weeks that it is not in session.
I wonder if this vacation would have been rescheduled if the vote were on reform of the sick leave payouts, or other tool kit items on Chrisie’s agenda instead of marraige equality.
This time, I agree wholeheartedly with Bob English.
Legislators are part time and should show up for work (voting) unless sick.
Please. I’m begging you Art. Post something interesting.
This is not only a politically inept move by Goldstein but also politically telling.
First, there is zero to be gained from this press release. No one will be persuaded to his side on the marriage issue.
However, it will make the small government conservative who is at lease in concert on the issue with him hesitant to join him.
Second, it is a constant problem that some issue groups, gay marriage being one of them, are often co-opted by Democrats who remain more loyal to that party than the issue.
Garden State Equality suffers that infirmity, and Goldstein’s statement on Angelini is evidence of that.
How dare these politicians dither with such an inconsequential issue when there are so many other important matters to resolve. Of course, our loser Democrat delegation is spearheading this for selfish, partisan reasons and the state be dammed.
[…] to our friends at MoreMonmouthMusings.net, the “Garden State Equality” (GSE) organization is apologizing to its members for […]
Aren’t you guys a little bit pissed off that a part-time legislator who makes full-time benefits is jetting off the the Islands for a vacation?
you guys can criticize gays for wanting marriage all you want. that’s still not going to get your Assemblywoman back from her tropical paradise.
Jay!
Welcome!
Personally, I’m more pissed off about the full time benefits than I am about the vacation or the fact that gays want to get married.
[…] it’s scary-bad out there. When our area’s Assemblywoman is absent last month the day same-sex marriage is voted on and in 2009 when our state senator votes “no” to marriage equality, we have a big problem in […]
Great article. For anyone interested read B Plots article from Asbury Park about an unlikely alli for gays.