The man who refused to bring a gay-marriage bill to the floor of the State Senate when he was majority leader has come out today in favor of marriage rights for same-sex couples. In a statement sent out by the Empire State Pride Agenda, Bruno urged the (currently useless) Senate to bring the current Paterson-proposed bill to the floor:

"This is America and we have unalienable rights. Let everyone decide how to pursue their own happiness. I understand that this issue stirs great passion in many people ... However, my instincts tell me that homosexuals who wish to enter into the union of marriage are just like the rest of us and they ought to be free to enter into it."

It was suspected that an announcement like this was in the works, and it's not yet known what's in it for Bruno himself. It could just be an act of conscience. Or it could be that he was accepting the inevitable, as after this summer nobody is going to be able to hear the name "Bruno" and not think of a dangerous, assless-chaps-wearing homosexual anyway.