ALBANY — Religious groups accused Gov. Paterson of “bigotry” and “Catholic baiting” yesterday after the Democratic governor claimed some opponents of gay marriage had earlier failed to stand up against attacks on gays and lesbians.
The governor’s baffling remarks — in which he at one point attributed opposition to same-sex marriage to some kind of religious “guilt” — came during a speech before hundreds of gay-rights supporters gathered in Albany to lobby lawmakers.
Religious groups said the governor, officially a Roman Catholic, risked poisoning the dialogue and “indicting everyone of faith” with his remarks.