N.Y. AG Endorsement Questioned

A prominent gay supporter of New York attorney general candidate
Kathleen Rice is criticizing the process by which the Empire State Pride

Agenda endorsed her closest Democratic rival, Eric Schneiderman, but the
gay rights lobbying group said the same process has been used to
endorse legions of candidates.

In a statement released by the Rice campaign, labor leader Stuart Appelbaum, head of the powerful Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, questioned the process by which the Pride Agenda endorsed Schneiderman, a state senator from Manhattan.

"I was surprised and disappointed by the Empire State Pride Agenda PAC’s decision to endorse Eric Schneiderman for New York State Attorney General,” said Appelbaum, a Pride Agenda board member since last year. “This endorsement was not made by the Empire State Pride Agenda board; nor was the board consulted. The PAC which made the endorsement should not be confused with the board. The endorsement by the PAC does not reflect the views of the board, nor the broader LGBT community.”

Reached for comment by The Advocate, Appelbaum said he was concerned that the endorsement announced Thursday did not specify it came from the organization’s PAC. In his opinion, that creates a false impression that he, as a board member, was involved with the choice.

“The endorsement is presented as coming from the Empire State Pride Agenda,” he said. “The press release refers to the Empire State Pride Agenda. Members of the board were not even aware that there was an endorsement coming. They were not consulted. This just reflects the views of the handful of people who are on the PAC.”