NY Candidate Flip Flops on Marriage

Bob Friedrich, a Republican candidate for the New York state assembly, appears to change his position on marriage equality depending on whose vote he wants to attract.

Friedrich previously ran and lost a bid for city council, running as a Democrat in the primary and as a Republican in the general election. Now, still a registered Democrat, he is running as a Republican against Democrat David Weprin in a special election for a Queens assembly seat on Tuesday.

According to City Hall's website, Friedrich's views on marriage equality have flip-flopped as frequently as his party label. Here's the rundown of the contradictions.

"During his interview with Queens County Conservative Party chair Tom Long two weeks ago, Friedrich said he was against same-sex marriage, according to Long," City Hall reported, then noted, "Friedrich reiterated the same thing in a recent endorsement interview with the Queens Tribune.

"But during a Queens Tribune endorsement interview when he was running as a Democrat for the Council, Friedrich was asked a yes or no question about whether he favored same-sex marriage. He responded that he was in favor, according to several people in the room, including Swaranjit Singh, a candidate in that race, and the paper's managing editor, Brian Rafferty.

"Also, when Friedrich filled out a candidate survey for Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club of Queens, he wrote that he was favor of gay marriage, said the club's spokesman, Larry Menzie."

Asked for comment by City Hall, Friedrich said that he is in favor of civil unions. He explained the reports about his earlier support for marriage equality by saying that the witnesses' recollections were incorrect.