New Jersey expected to approve gay marriage; Christie vows veto

 
New Jersey lawmakers are expected to pass legislation Thursday that would legalize same-sex marriage, but Gov. Chris Christie's vow to veto the measure could force a drawn-out battle similar to those that have roiled California and other states that have recognized gay unions.

The state Senate approved the proposed Marriage Equality and Religious Exemption Act on Monday. The measure was likely to pass in the Democratic-controlled Assembly during Thursday afternoon's session.

A Rutgers-Eagleton poll released Tuesday indicated that a majority of New Jersey voters support the right of same-sex couples to marry. Christie, a Republican who has been mentioned as a possible future presidential contender, opposes same-sex marriage and has said that if New Jersey is to become the latest state to recognize such unions, voters -- not politicians -- should decide the issue. He has said he'll veto the bill if it comes to him and back a November referendum on the matter.

Despite the veto vow, Steven Goldstein of Garden State Equality told the Star-Ledger newspaper that the state was on a clear path toward guaranteeing same-sex marriage, and he noted that advocates of the measure had until the end of the legislative session -- in January 2014 -- to muster enough votes to override Christie's veto.

"Look how the world has changed since Jan. 7, 2010," Goldstein said, referring to the last time lawmakers took up same-sex marriage. Then, the Senate voted down the act with 14 "yes" votes and 20 "no" votes. On Monday, it voted 24-16 in favor of same-sex marriage.

"We're talking about at least a 50% increase in support" since 2010, said Goldstein, adding that activists' next goal was to build Republican support to override Christie's veto.

One Republican who joined Democrats in voting for the legislation earlier this week was Sen. Diane B. Allen. "I look at this as just another venue where discrimination has occurred and where we must right a wrong," she said after the vote.

But Sen. Christopher Bateman, also a Republican, said he supported Christie's call for a referendum. "An issue of this importance, I think really should be decided by all the voters," he said.

Washington became the seventh state in the nation to recognize same-sex marriage when the governor signed a bill into law Monday, but conservatives have said they will collect signatures to put a referendum on the ballot to overrule the decision. Opponents of gay marriage in California put the brakes on same-sex unions with a ballot measure, but an appellate court last week threw out that proposition.

Other states that have approved same-sex marriage include New York, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont, as well as the District of Columbia.

-- Tina Susman in New York

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Photo: Members of Garden State Equality watch as the New Jersey Senate on Monday approved a marriage equality measure. Credit: David Gard / Associated Press

Best in show at Westminster dog show: A pipsqueak, Malachy

Best in show, that most coveted of all honors at the famed Westminster dog show, went to ... how should we describe it? A fallen cloud? A hair ball? A pug stuck inside a pom pom? Let's just call it what it is: a Pekingese named Malachy.

The 4-year-old champion at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show seemed to realize his coronation as the crowd at Madison Square Garden in New York City shouted out his name. The Associated Press noted Malachy was reveling in all the attention as his handler held him up while his pink tongue expressed itself amid all that fur, his "eyes sparkling like black diamonds."

It's worth noting that Malachy doesn't really win much -- he gets a silver bowl. There is no prize money. But the allure of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show transcends the notion of ribbons and bows and baubles. Malachy's title puts him into the history books, and perhaps his name will forever be uttered in show dog circles with awe and reverence. And wealth will come in time for Malachy's owners, with all the breeding opportunities afforded the winner.

PHOTOS: Westminster Kennel Club dog show

Malachy beat out dogs big and small Tuesday night to capture the throne, including a Dalmatian, a German shepherd, a Doberman pinscher, an Irish setter, a Kerry blue terrier and a wire-haired dachshund.

Since then, the court of public opinion has weighed in on Malachy, not all of it nice. But because Malachy can't read, we'll tell you: "Cute little dustmop/ Looks very huggable," said one comment on Twitter. "I'm sorry, but the thing that won Westminster is NOT a dog. It's more like an animatronic troll doll with extra hair," said another Twitter comment.

The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show was not without criticism and controversy.

Advocates for mutts and strays and rescue dogs have long decried the focus on pedigrees. They fear it encourages puppy mills when there are already so many dogs in need of a home. "They kill shelter dogs' chances," says PETA, which this year launched several protests surrounding the event. Some members even tried to infiltrate the show itself before they were halted.

Another protest took aim at the man who could be our next president: Mitt Romney. The Republican candidate has riled dog lovers everywhere with his story about traveling with his Irish setter, Seamus, back in 1983 and strapping the dog's crate to the roof rack for a 12-hour drive.

When Romney told the story, many people found it amusing. But animal rights activists didn't laugh about what they say must have been a harrowing, wind-whipped ride for the canine. On Tuesday, they held signs saying "Dogs Aren’t Luggage" and "I Ride Inside."

It's a good bet that Malachy never gets strapped to a roof rack.

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-- Rene Lynch
Twitter / renelynch

Photo: Malachy sits in his trophy after being named best in show at the 136th annual Westminster Kennel Club dog show in New York. Credit: Seth Wenig / Associated Press

Gunman killed after opening fire in Middletown, N.Y., courthouse

A gunman opened fire inside the Middletown, N.Y., courthouse Wednesday, injuring a court officer before being shot to death by another officer.

Local news reports said the gunman had a grudge against the mayor of the small Hudson Valley city, Joseph DeStefano, and had been arrested last year after showing up at the mayor's home with a machete. He was identified as Tim Mulqueen, a former landlord apparently angry over DeStefano's crackdown on code enforcement and rental properties.

The shooting threw the downtown area into chaos. Witnesses said the incident began about 9 a.m. when a man wearing a scarf over his face and a hooded jacket parked a dirt bike outside the complex housing the courts and municipal offices and marched up the stairs holding a shotgun.

He took aim at two court officers, hitting one in the arm before the other officer shot back. Some workers dove under their desks as the shots rang out. The gunman, who the Associated Press said was 43 years old, died later in a hospital.

Middletown, a city of 28,000 people, is about 70 miles northwest of New York City.

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-- Tina Susman in New York

Photo: A person injured in a courthouse shooting is moved into an ambulance by emergency responders in the New York town of Middletown. The gunman was killed. Credit: Steve Borland / Times Herald-Record

No rape charge for New York police commissioner's son, D.A. says

 

Prosecutors have ruled that there is not enough evidence to warrant a rape charge against Greg Kelly, the son of New York's police commissioner and a local Fox television personality, saying an investigation into a woman's allegation that Kelly assaulted her did not convince officials that a crime had occurred.

 

The investigation against Kelly came to light on Jan. 26, and his attorney, Andrew Lankler, said at the time that Kelly was innocent and was "cooperating fully" with the probe. Local media reports had identified the alleged victim as a woman in her late 20s or early 30s who said she had met Kelly, a former Fox TV reporter and current host of its morning "Good Day New York Show," in October.

Kelly is the son of Raymond Kelly, the New York City police commissioner. So to avoid a conflict of interest, the investigation had been carried out by the office of the district attorney, not the Police Department.

According to the accuser, the two had drinks one evening in October and then went to her Manhattan office, where she said the assault took place. Kelly has not appeared on "Good Day New York" since the investigation was announced but in a statement Tuesday night said he was looking forward to getting back on the air soon.

"I am thankful that the investigation established what I've known all along, that I am innocent," he said.

Martha Bashford, the head of the district attorney's sex crimes unit, said in a letter to Lankler that the two-week investigation included the review of physical evidence, including text messages and phone calls, as well as interviews with Kelly and the accuser, both of whom cooperated with the probe. "After reviewing all the evidence, we have determined that the facts established during our investigation do not fit the definitions of sexual assault crimes," the letter said.

Local news reports have said that the woman was prodded to report the alleged rape after her boyfriend learned that she had shared drinks with Greg Kelly and confronted Raymond Kelly, telling him that his son had destroyed his girlfriend's life.

According to his biography, Greg Kelly served as a Marine fighter pilot before moving into journalism, and covered the White House as well as the 2003 invasion of Iraq before joining "Good Day New York."

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-- Tina Susman in New York

Super Bowl 2012: Tour the stadium this way -- it's cheaper

For those who don't have several thousand dollars to drop on a pair of Super Bowl XLVI tickets, there's this: Google Earth has posted a nifty video on the path -- literally -- to Game Day.

The New England Patriots will soon take on the New York Giants at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. So the folks at 3D Google Earth have created a video that visually flies you up, over and around each team's home base, then takes you through to the Game Day stadium. It might be a little weird seeing all those empty seats, but it's still pretty darn cool.

And way cheaper.

Of course, Super Bowl XLVI is more than just a Super Bowl. In the football world, this is a Clash of the Titans. Must read: This story by our colleague Lance Pugmire about the bitter rivalry being stoked anew by this New York vs. Boston showdown.

Die-hard football fans probably have this info etched into their DNA, but for everyone else, here's some info to keep handy: The Super Bowl is this Sunday, and there's at 6:30 p.m. Eastern start.

And by "start," we mean that's when all the official pre-game hoopla begins. Highlights: "American Idol" Kelly Clarkson will sing the National Anthem. (Note to Steven Tyler: You might want to tune in to see how it's done.)

The half-time show will belong to a relative newcomer, as well as an old-timer with biceps chiseled in stone: Nicki Minaj and Madonna will have those honors. 

And in case you were wondering, just how much are Super Bowl XLVI tickets? At last check, TicketCity.com was offering them for about $2,400.

Each.

Makes you want to go back and watch that Google Earth 3D video all over again, huh?

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Super Bowl parade? What about a parade for Iraq vets?

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-- Rene Lynch
twitter/renelynch

Super Bowl parade? What about a parade for Iraq vets?

It's a pretty simple question on the eve of Super Bowl XLVI weekend: "If the Giants and Patriots Deserve a Super Bowl Parade, Don't Iraq Vets?"

That's the query posed by a new online petition posted at Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, which describes itself as the nation's first and largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Last check, the petition had almost 9,000 supporters and counting and their Facebook page championing the campaign has 333,271 "likes."

But expect those petition numbers to jump. After getting some high-profile support on both sides of the political aisle, it's doubled in the last 12 hours alone. MSNBC's "The Rachel Maddow Show" gave the cause a shout-out, and it was featured Friday morning on Forbes.com.

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You might be wondering why this is even an issue -- why don't the vets just get a parade? Well, it's complicated.

New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg said a parade would be premature because there are still so many troops overseas. He also says that military leaders have made it clear that televised images of a U.S. victory parade could jeopardize the safety of troops still overseas.

But clearly, not everyone feels that way. The city of St. Louis hosted a "Welcome Home the Heroes" parade last month that was attended by a reported 100,000 people and had 20,000 participants. And IAVA clearly wants a parade.

Here's what the organization says in its petition directed at President Obama as well as the New York and Boston mayors, each of whom are poised to oversee a ticker-tape parade for the Super Bowl XLVI winner:

If the Giants and Patriots Deserve a Super Bowl Parade, Don't Iraq Vets?

Now is the time to remember those we've lost, respect those who've served, and respond to the issues they're facing at home.

Mr. President, New York Mayor Bloomberg, Boston Mayor Menino, Mayors and government officials across America:

Stand with IAVA Members nationwide to organize a single national day of action, coordinating the efforts of cities and towns nationwide to celebrate our nation's newest heroes and connect them with the resources they have earned.

Let's work together to make history.

Finally, if you are planning to watch a commercial this Super Bowl XLVI weekend, you might want to make it this one, above, for IAVA.

It's remarkable for many reasons, but mostly because of the footage of a soldier explaining in stunningly simple terms why so many veterans have trouble making the transition from combat duty to civilian life.

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-- Rene Lynch
Twitter / renelynch

Komen vs. Planned Parenthood: NYC's Bloomberg offers $250,000

The uproar over Susan G. Komen for the Cure's decision to defund Planned Parenthood has many politicians and lawmakers rushing to the aid of the organization that provides reproductive healthcare services. But one politician actually appears willing to put his money where his mouth is.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Thursday announced that he is personally donating $250,000 to Planned Parenthood in the form of a matching grant. The move is as symbolic as it is financial: Bloomberg is trying to encourage Planned Parenthood supporters to also open up their wallets and make their voices heard. He said he'll match donations dollar for dollar up to $250,000.

Bloomberg's office released the following statement:

"Politics have no place in health care. Breast cancer screening saves lives and hundreds of thousands of women rely on Planned Parenthood for access to care. We should be helping women access that care, not placing barriers in their way."

Bloomberg's statement was released along with one from Cecile Richards, head of Planned Parenthood Federation of America:

"On behalf of hundreds of thousands of women nationwide who rely on Planned Parenthood for breast cancer education and screening, we are enormously grateful to Mayor Bloomberg. This contribution will help ensure that politics don’t interfere with women having access to health care. People all across the country have stepped forward in the last 48 hours to offer help and support, and the Mayor's donation will help ensure that no woman is denied breast cancer services because of right-wing political pressure campaigns."

Susan G. Komen for the Cure yanked its funding because Planned Parenthood is under a federal investigation to determine whether the organization uses federal money to perform abortions. Planned Parenthood says money has been pouring into the foundation ever since the news became public, adding that it raised $400,000 within about 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the fate of the iconic Race for the Cure fundraising event is now in question, with some  Americans vowing to boycott them.

Several California lawmakers have joined Bloomberg in voicing support for Planned Parenthood. Assembly Speaker John A. Perez (D-Los Angeles) posted on Facebook that he was "dismayed" by the foundation's decision to pull its $700,000 funding for breast cancer screenings.

State Sen. Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa) said in a statement that the Legislative Women's Caucus, which she chairs, will suspend its annual bake sale to raise money for the foundation, as well as the tradition of illuminating the Capitol building pink to heighten breast cancer awareness. She said the Komen foundation's decision "defies belief."

And state Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Sylmar) said he will stop being a "Pink Tie Guy" who wears ties of that shade to raise awareness of the foundation's efforts.

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-- Rene Lynch
twitter.com/renelynch

Groundhog Day 2012: Will N.Y. Mayor Bloomberg be bitten again?

Groundhog Day 2012 is upon us. (You can almost feel the excitement in the air.) In just a few more hours, the official Groundhog Day ceremonies will begin. Of course we all want to know whether we are in for six more weeks of winter, but the real question on everyone's mind is this: 

Will New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg get bitten again?

What? You've never heard about the infamous encounter between Hizzoner and Staten Island Chuck? We'll recap.

It's Groundhog Day: Pick your groundhog

Staten Island Chuck is a lesser-known groundhog counterpart to Pennsylvania's Punxsutawney Phil, the most famous groundhog prognosticator in all the land. Staten Island Chuck lives at the Staten Island Zoo, and each year the community rallies around to see its most famous resident throw down his weather prediction.

Bloomberg does the honors. But on Groundhog Day 2009, Staten Island Chuck turned on Bloomberg and nipped him good. It seems the critter did not appreciate the mayor sticking his gloved hand into Chuck's cabin in a bid to coax him out. Bloomberg later used a few choice words to describe the encounter, leading to a flurry of headlines about how he cussed out poor Chuck. (See video above.)

The two will face off again Thursday at 7:30 a.m., according to a Staten Island Live story. And since we're talking about New Yorkers, here's what one of the commentators had to say about the possibility of another nip: "Please do the 'Dracula' on him, Chuck, and go for his neck this year!!"

As Groundhog Day lore and legend has it, if a groundhog ventures from its den and sees a shadow on Feb. 2, that's a sign we're in for six more weeks of harsh winter weather. But if the critter emerges from its den and sees no shadow, that means we can look forward to a mercifully short winter.

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-- Rene Lynch
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Police raid 5-story New York pot farm, an indoor marijuana jungle

Urban gardening has become a trend in New York City, but police sniffing around a five-story building in the Bronx found an urban garden of a different type: an indoor jungle of marijuana plants growing on every floor, some far taller than the cops who raided the unusual jungle.

On Tuesday evening, police carted 593 towering plants from the otherwise unremarkable brick building, as well as 75 pounds of marijuana cut, dried and packaged in plastic, ready for distribution. Authorities said that by a "conservative estimate," the operation did at least $3 million in business last year. Three men were arrested in connection with the case.

It certainly wasn't the biggest marijuana bust in New York City, not by a long shot. In 2009, 50,000 pounds of marijuana was found stuffed in a home in Queens, and there have been plenty of other bigger busts in the region.

What made Tuesday's discovery unusual was the location of the farm: a busy urban area on a block lined with similar five-story walk-up buildings occupying people, not leafy trees thriving under a sophisticated air filtration, irrigation and lighting system with fans and sprinklers to ensure healthy crops.

Police said they began investigating the building two months ago after at least one complaint from an area resident about shady activities there. But it was not clear if most neighbors knew what was going on inside the structure. Most of those who spoke with local media as they watched police carting out sacks of pot plants said they were stunned.

"It's terrible. Too close to  home," one woman told the local ABC TV affiliate, WABC. "I've walked through here for maybe three or four years and I never, ever would have thought that they would have a pot factory in this building," a man said.

Others, however, told reporters that the odor wafting from the urban farm was noticeable and sometimes got innocent people into trouble. "Cops come on the block and smell weed and pull us over and harass us, and no one is smoking," Andre Cardona told the Daily News. 

-- Tina Susman in New York

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Photo: A police officer stands amid a pot farm found in the Bronx. Credit: New York Police Department

Shopping cart hurled from above at Bronx mall injures 2

 

A shopping cart hurled from an overhead walkway at a New York City shopping mall seriously injured two men in a case reminiscent of an October incident that left a woman brain-damaged after a pair of youngsters pushed a heavy cart over a ledge onto pedestrians below.

One of the victims in Monday's incident, identified only as a 52-year-old man, is in critical condition, local news reports said. The other, a 30-year-old man, is in stable condition.

No suspects were in custody, but police were reviewing surveillance video at the Gateway shopping center in the Bronx, which is near Yankee Stadium.

"There was a gash on his forehead, you could literally see his skull," one witness told NY1 news. "I just ran in, grabbed his hand, tried to comfort him as much as I can, but the second one was not conscious at all. We had to actually wake him up. It was just, wow. One cart that hit both of them at the head."

The attack occurred outside a Home Depot store, and the cart apparently was pushed onto crowds from an upper level of an attached parking structure serving the store and the rest of the mall. 

A Home Depot cashier, Julie Ross, told the Daily News she heard a "thud" and then ran outside.

"It was pretty bloody," Ross said. "They were laying on the ground. One guy was trying to sit up, and the other guy was just laying there -- he wasn't moving."

Last Oct. 30, two boys pushed a shopping cart onto shoppers at a Manhattan mall, hitting a woman in the head and leaving her in a coma. She regained consciousness, but her husband has said she faces months of rehabilitative therapy to recover. Both boys pleaded guilty in family court to assault.

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-- Tina Susman in New York

Photo: Rows of shopping carts at a Home Depot store in New York. Credit: Victor J. Blue / Bloomberg