Andrew Cuomo: If Extreme Conservatives Are Right to Life, Pro Assault Weapon, Anti Gay, Then They Have No Place in the State of New York
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo delivers his annual State of the State address at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center, in Albany, N.Y. on Jan. 8, 2014. (Image source: AP/Mike Groll, File)
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a radio interview that if “extreme conservatives” are “right-to-life, pro-assault-weapon, anti-gay,” then “they have no place in the state of New York, because that’s not who New Yorkers are.”
Cuomo made his statements during a WCNY radiointerview with Susan Arbetter on “The Capitol Pressroom” Friday morning, noted the “Capitol Confidential” of the Times Union in Albany. The context of Cuomo’s statement is what he sees as a schism between moderate and “extreme conservative” Republicans in New York state and around the country:
“Who are they? Are they these extreme conservatives who are right-to-life, pro-assault-weapon, anti-gay? Is that who they are? Because if that’s who they are and if they are the extreme conservatives, they have no place in the state of New York, because that’s not who New Yorkers are.”
You can listen to Cuomo’s statement and more of what he had to say by heading to the WCNY page and staring your listen at around the 9:20 mark.
Or you can listen to this short clip:
Cuomo added that “moderate Republicans have a place in this state” and noted that he can work with moderate Republicans, as they’ve consistently passed his agenda.
Cuomo also broke down more of his main issues with so-called “extreme” conservatives, urging them to “figure out if your extreme conservative philosophy can survive in this state and the answer is no.”
Dennis Poust, spokesman for the state’s Catholic Conference, had this to say on Twitter about the comments from the governor, who’s also a Catholic:
My governor thinks there's no place in NY for people like me. Can I get a state grant to relocate?
Andrew Cuomo: If Extreme Conservatives Are Right to Life, Pro Assault Weapon, Anti Gay, Then They Have No Place in the State of New York
@DennisPoust
Dennis Poust