NY Gov Cuomo Won't Let Judges Officiate Weddings Because Trump Nominated Some of Them
Few could honestly argue against the assertion that Democratic New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is suffering from a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome and has allowed his hatred for the president to intrude upon virtually everything he says and does.
His veto of an innocuous and overwhelmingly bipartisan bill passed by both the state Assembly and state Senate only served to confirm just how petty and far-reaching his disdain for Trump and all who are associated with him goes.
On Dec. 22, the New York Post reported that Cuomo vetoed a bill that would have allowed all federal judges, even those located outside of the state, to officiate marriages within New York.
The governor’s stated reason for issuing that veto? Some of those judges might have been appointed by Trump, a thought he simply couldn’t abide.
“I cannot in good conscience support legislation that would authorize such actions by federal judges who are appointed by this federal administration,” Cuomo said in a Friday statement.
“President Trump does not embody who we are as New Yorkers,” the governor added. “The cornerstones that built our great state are diversity, tolerance, and inclusion. Based on these reasons, I must veto this bill.”
The Post noted that under existing New York law, all state-level judges are allowed to officiate marriages in their official capacity, as are a plethora of others across the state, including the governor, current and former mayors, some city clerks, local justices, members of the clergy and even citizens who’ve been specially ordained for the purpose.
The current law also allows some federal judges, such as those from the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and the four federal districts of the state, to officiate weddings as well. All the law would have done was extend that authority to all federally appointed judges, including those seated outside the state.
It is also worth pointing out that the bill enjoyed huge bipartisan support in the Democrat-controlled legislature, as it passed the state Assembly by a vote of 148-2 and in the Senate by a vote of 61-1. None of that mattered to the TDS-afflicted governor, however.
Nick Langworthy, the chairman of the state Republican Party, said of Cuomo’s veto, “It’s hard to imagine a more petty, small action from a sitting governor, but that’s Prince Andrew in a nutshell.”
Marc Molinaro, the Dutchess County executive and previous gubernatorial challenger to Cuomo, said the governor’s veto was “absurd” and noted that “couples can and do make the decision about who should officiate their most special day themselves.”
“My gosh, this state allows about any official to be a marriage officer,” he added. “Why should a federal judge not have the same ability?”
Nor was it just Republicans who called out Cuomo for his partisan veto of a decidedly nonpartisan bill, as was revealed in a statement released by Democratic state Sen. Liz Krueger, a sponsor of the “no-brainer” bill.
“Four years ago, we gave the governor the ability to perform marriages. Two years ago, we gave legislators that ability. So when it was suggested to me that we expand it to federal judges, I thought, ‘Why not? The more the merrier!'” Krueger told The Post. “I’m certainly no fan of the judges this president is choosing to appoint, but since any New Yorker can become a minister online for $25 and legally perform weddings, I didn’t consider this to be a major issue.”
Sen. Krueger is right: This isn’t a “major issue” — at least until Cuomo decided to inject his overt partisan hatred for the president into it.
This is arguably one of the dumbest things the governor has ever done — and that is saying a lot — and is further proof that he has no business being the leader of New York.
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