Pride Agenda Made $60,000 Donation to Cuomo Campaign

New York governor Andrew Cuomo received a $60,000 campaign contribution from the Empire State Pride Agenda, the state's leading gay rights group, just as the push for marriage equality legislation intensified, the Associated Press reports.

Campaign finance records filed Friday show that the Pride Agenda was one of the biggest contributors to the $5.5 million Cuomo raised since January for his reelection campaign, according to the AP. Filings with the State Board of Elections also indicate that gay groups contributed heavily to state legislators who provided key votes in favor of the marriage bill, which passed and was signed into law June 24. The Cuomo campaign received the check May 3, the same day he announced it was "a different day" and expressed optimism that the bill would pass.

"Such fundraising while issues are being negotiated and debated is common and a concern of good-government groups, including the League of Women Voters," the AP notes. "Cuomo campaigned last year on a promise to limit Albany's 'pay to play' culture, part of which is addressed in an ethics bill he and the Legislature approved this year."

The bulk of Cuomo's campaign funds continued to come from traditional sources, such as business, health care, and education interests, according to the report.

Other donations related to the marriage equality campaign include the $10,300 given by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg to each of the four Republican state senators who voted for the measure. This led to criticism from the lone Democrat who voted against the bill, antigay state senator Ruben Diaz Sr., the AP reports. "If this is not a quid pro quo, please tell me what this is?" Diaz said.