Primary sponsor of NY's gay marriage bill gets married
Mon. January 30, 2012 8:31 AM by GoPride.com News Staff
New York City -
New York State Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell married his longtime partner John Banta in a ceremony in Manhattan on Sunday.
O'Donnell, who is the brother of talk show host Rosie O'Donnell, was a primary leader in the fight to legalize gay marriage in New York State last year.
Rosie O'Donnell was there, as well as their mother. Gov. Andrew Cuomo also attended the ceremony.
"It was really elegant and tasteful," Assemblyman Joseph Lentol told the NY Daily News. "The newness of having a same-sex marriage is still there for a lot of people and they loved the idea of being at this type of reception."
Before the wedding, O'Donnell had talked to the Village Voice about the importance of the right to marry.
"When you are deprived of something...you don't understand what it means to be given that chance," he said.
The couple met on their first day of college at Catholic University in Washington, D.C.
O'Donnell, who is the brother of talk show host Rosie O'Donnell, was a primary leader in the fight to legalize gay marriage in New York State last year.
Rosie O'Donnell was there, as well as their mother. Gov. Andrew Cuomo also attended the ceremony.
"It was really elegant and tasteful," Assemblyman Joseph Lentol told the NY Daily News. "The newness of having a same-sex marriage is still there for a lot of people and they loved the idea of being at this type of reception."
Before the wedding, O'Donnell had talked to the Village Voice about the importance of the right to marry.
"When you are deprived of something...you don't understand what it means to be given that chance," he said.
The couple met on their first day of college at Catholic University in Washington, D.C.