Adams digs in on anti-gay hires (NYC)

[brooklynite]

Politico

New York City Mayor Eric Adams thinks it’s “best for the city of New York” that he has given jobs in his administration to two pastors who have opposed gay rights. He didn’t quite explain why this was the best choice for the city when pressed on the appointments. But his unapologetic response is in keeping with his approach to filling his administration despite objections from the chattering masses, a defense he's previously summed up as “I’m the mayor.”

Adams hired former City Council Member Fernando Cabrera as a faith adviser, and former mayoral candidate Erick Salgado as an assistant commissioner for immigrant affairs, to an outcry from LGBTQ advocates. “I spoke with a number of those leaders and shared my thoughts, and I stated ‘I respect your thoughts, but I’m going to do what’s best for the city of New York,’” he said Tuesday.

Though the mayor isn’t apologizing for the hires, he says the two pastors are sorry for their past views. “I accepted their apologies,” he said, arguing that many Americans “want to act like now they were always embracing marriage. That is not the reality.” While he’s not wrong that lots of Democrats in politics were against gay marriage before they were for it, Cabrera went quite a bit further than that: traveling to Uganda to praise the country’s government as it enacted a law harshly criminalizing homosexuality.

The backlash continues, with the City Council LGBTQ Caucus denouncing the appointments and another group of pols joining immigrant rights advocates to call for Salgado’s job to be rescinded. Added state Sen. Gustavo Rivera of the Bronx: “Fernando Cabrera is not qualified to be in public service in any position and the mayor should reconsider appointing him to anything.” A protest against the hires is planned for later this week.

[madaboutharry]

1. New York democrats had other choices.

Among them was Maya Wiley, who is brilliant and wise.

[lark]

4. Think NY'ers screwed the pooch with his selection.

Sad, though at least he's not a full on Repug.

[Demsrule86]

6. Ah, the jury is still out on that...by his actions, we shall see...bad guy.

[NYFlip]

8. Put her first in the primary.

[dsc]

2. He clearly doesn't give a crap about LGBT voters or people

I wish he had shown his true colors in the primary, he might have lost. But he isn't alone in the line about opposing marriage equality, it is routinely used here to justify appointing or voting for rabidly anti gay people since Obama opposed marriage equality too. There are degrees of opposition and marriage equality isn't the sole issue gay people face. I am likely to never get married for example.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

3. Why in the world is he hiring pastors for any jobs at all?

That hardly honors separation of Church and State.

[Demsrule86]

5. I can't believe they elected this guy...he is awful and more awful everyday...can he be impeached?

[edhopper]

7. Unfortunately

there is a fairly large anti-LGBT portion in the Black and Latino communities, which is his coalition.

[brooklynite]

9. Response by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and City Comptroller Brad Lander