New York Mayor Bill de Blasio emphatically backed New Governor Andrew Cuomo’s controversial remarks that “extreme” conservatives – which he defined as being pro-life, second amendment advocates, or supporters of traditional marriage – “have no place in the state of New York.”
“I stand by that 100 percent,” de Blasio told reporters at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, D.C. on Thursday.
“I agree with Governor Cuomo’s remarks. I interpret his remarks to say that an extremist attitude that continues the reality of violence in our communities or an extremist attitude that denies the rights of women does not represent the views of New York State,” he added.
Governor Cuomo riled up conservatives in New York state as well as all over the country when he told a local New York State radio program last Friday “extreme conservatives who are right-to-life, pro-assault-weapon, anti-gay….have no place in the state of New York, because that’s not who New Yorkers are.”
The remarks have snowballed into a major controversy, with Fox News host Sean Hannity vowing to leave New York City, prompting a bidding war between Republican governors to persuade him to move to their states. Hannity is reportedly eyeing a political bid in Texas. At the March for Life yesterday, one participant pushed back at Cuomo, telling Breitbart News, “We’re here, we’re pro-life, get used to it.”
De Blasio conceded that “we all understand there’s a right to free speech. I wouldn’t disagree with that right and neither would Governor Cuomo.”
But exercising that free speech could put you on the wrong side of New York “values,” de Blasio maintained. “I think he’s saying that the attitude of those who want to continue the status quo on guns or want to challenge and deny the right to choose does not reflect the values of New Yorkers. He was absolutely right to say what he said,” de Blasio stated.
When asked by a reporter if he does not feel the need to reach out to those who disagree with him and would rather others share his values instead, de Blasio responded, “The first point is, we represent our people and Governor Cuomo is right and I believe I’m on firm ground in saying our people, the people in New York State and the people of New York City reject extremists views against a women’s right to choose and in favor of the proliferation of guns in our society. And I stand by that 100 percent.”
De Blasio is under fire in New York for the city’s disastrous response to the recent snow storm, which prompted questions about why he was in front of the television cameras in D.C. instead of working to fix the roads back home. De Blasio admitted Wednesday “more could have been done.”
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