Diaz: Espaillat's gay marriage support offensive to religious leaders

State Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. says that Congressional candidate Adriano Espaillat is "slapping [religious leaders] in the face" with his full-throated support for same-sex marriage. In one of his "What You Should Know" missives to the press, Diaz Sr. cites Espaillat's [recent speech at a meeting of the Stonewall Democratic Club](http://www.cityandstateny.com/rangel-skips-stonewall-democrats-meeting/), in which he promised to fight to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act at a national level if elected to Congress. "Apparently now that Adriano Espaillat is running for a Congressional seat which covers a great part of the Bronx, he still thinks that the Christian and Catholic pastors and ministers are unimportant," Diaz Sr. writes. "Once again, Adriano Espaillat is slapping us in the face by enthusiastically supporting gay marriage ? now for the whole nation. He is clearly telling all of us, once again, to take a hike because he doesn't need our vote." Interestingly enough, Espaillat made reference to Diaz Sr. in his speech to the Stonewall Democratic Club on Wednesday, noting that he led the push for same-sex marriage within the Latino caucus in the Legislature and was able to convince all the member except Dias Sr. to vote in favor of the bill. "Not only did I vote for the bill, but I led the way. I made sure that other members of the Latino caucus  of senators that I chair, all but one were successful in coming together as a group and making sure we passed this historic legislation," Espaillat said. But Diaz Sr. says Espaillat's support for same-sex marriage may inhibit his run for Congress. "I suspect that with this news of Adriano Espaillat's pandering to the Stonewall Democratic Club about his promise to bring gay marriage to the nation if he gets elected to Congress, will awaken some Catholics and Evangelical Christians who were planning to vote for him," Diaz Sr. writes. "I am afraid that they will change their minds and even vote for Charlie Rangel or maybe just sit this election out." Rangel, of course, is also [a supporter of gay marriage and LGBT rights](http://www.thepoliticalguide.com/Profiles/House/New_York/Charles_Rangel/Views/Gay_Marriage/). And Diaz Sr. is not a supporter of Rangel in any respect, blasting the veteran congressman recently for being insensitive to [mentally disturbed individuals](http://www.politicker.com/2012/04/11/ruben-diaz-sir-goes-off-on-charlie-rangels-hearing-aid-remark/). To read the full article at City & State [click here](http://www.cityandstateny.com/diaz-espaillats-gay-marriage-support-offensive-religious-leaders/).