Yesterday evening, July 24, Haute 100 New York member Mayor Michael Bloomberg changed the game by officiating a same-sex marriage in New York. Not only did this take place on the first day of marriage equality in New York, but the marriage was between two of Bloomberg’s staff members, John Feinblatt, his chief policy advisor, and Jonathan Mintz, the city’s commissioner for consumer affairs.
This was only the third wedding the mayor had officiated, after fellow Haute 100 New York member Rudy Guiliani’s marriage to Judith Nathan and his daughter Emma’s marriage to Chris Frissora. Bloomberg happily married the pair of staffers at Gracie Mansion, with Feinblatt’s and Mintz’s two young daughters, Maeve and Georgia, present to help the mayor should he need it. He was heard saying to them, “I’m going to do my best – but if I slip up, Maeve and Georgia, feel free to step in and tell me what I’m doing wrong.”
In a heartfelt ceremony, the mayor was happy to witness a change of pace from the three’s usual day-to-day office interactions. He said, “John, Jonathan, usually when the three of us are together, we are discussing the finer points of illegal guns or consumer fraud. I can’t tell you how nice this is for a change. And I can’t tell you how pleased I am that this day has finally come.”
The wedding was attended by approximately 150 guests, including City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, police commissioner Ray Kelly, former deputy mayors Kevin Sheekey and Ed Skyler, and a slew of reporters. Bloomberg brought tears to the eyes of those present as he said, “It’s taken New York State a long time to recognize what the two of you must have known instinctively: that two people who want to be together, and raise a family together, and spend the rest of their lives together – have a relationship – and a beautiful family – that, in every way, deserves to be recognized and commemorated equally under the eye of the law.”
After the official vows, the waterfront reception ensued. Bloomberg playfully warned the newly pronounced couple to not celebrate too hard, as they had had to return to work the next day. Post ceremony, Mintz commented, “This is a great day for New York. This is a great day for love. I know it sounds a little bit trite, but you’ll have to forgive me I just got married a minute and a half ago.”
Our Haute 100 list details the accomplishments of the most influential people in each of our markets. To see the entire Haute 100 New York list, click here.
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