JTA: The Global News Service of the Jewish People

Jewish, Republican, pro-gay rights

By Ron Kampeas · May 14, 2011

The New York Times runs a piece today on how the big money behind the push for sanctioning gay marriage in New York State is coming from Republicans.

The figures named are also Jewish, which isn't too surprising, considering that state's tradition of Jewish socially moderate Republicans. (The four named philanthropists are also hedge fund managers.)

But I mean every name. Here's what a quick Google search came up with:

--Paul Singer: on the boards of Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs and Commentary

--Daniel Loeb: Appeared at events for YIVO and the Jewish Enrichment Center.

--Clifford Asness: Likened Obama's proposed tax policies to pogroms. (Yes, philanthropy would be nicer than name calling, but this is still a form of identification.)

--Steven A. Cohen: this excellent Tablet piece by Allison Hoffman exposes a rabbi who tried to use Cohen's Jewishness in a scheme to extort money from him, but otherwise notes that Cohen's philanthropy does not have much of a Jewish slant. Here, by the way, is a fun Times story on the plethora of Steve Cohens, famous and semi-so.

And then there's former Republican National Committee chairman, Ken Mehlman, who's organizing the whole GOP push, and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who also backs the initiative (but is no longer a Republican.)

Anyway, like I said, not surprising -- but striking.