Gay Groups

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NEW YORK - (KRT) - Mayor Bloomberg came out of the closet on gay marriage and then - to the dismay of gay activists - he jumped back in.

At a $1,000-a-plate benefit dinner for the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association on Thursday night, Bloomberg told a crowd of 80 that he personally believes gay marriage should be legal.

"He said, `If you want to know what I think, I think the law should be changed,' " said Barbara Raab, a newswriter for "NBC Nightly News." "It was clear to everyone in the room."

The Daily News spoke with eight other dinner guests who confirmed that Bloomberg voiced clear support for same-sex marriage after ducking the issue for nearly three years.

But less than 24 hours later, Bloomberg press secretary Ed Skyler said the mayor does not have a "clear opinion on the issue."

"There's clearly a misunderstanding as to what comments he made last night," Skyler said. "And (Bloomberg) very well may be to blame for that. We're not making accusations."

Skyler released yesterday a tape of an interview Bloomberg gave to WPIX-TV that will be broadcast tomorrow. "I've gone back and forth," Bloomberg told the station in the interview.

Steven Petrow, the journalist association's president, said the mayor was unambiguous in his comments at his dinner table and in remarks before the whole crowd. "The gist of what he said was, `I support same-sex marriage,' " Petrow said.

One journalist, who took notes while Bloomberg was speaking, relayed the following quotes to The News:

_ "I do believe that the law should be changed."

_ "What you do in your private life is nobody's business."

_ "You won't see me out there breaking the law. I will do anything I can within the law."

_ "I will also do anything I can to get the law to include everybody."

_ Asked when he predicted the law would change, he said, "I'll get it as fast as I can."

City Councilwoman Christine Quinn said she is outraged by the reversal.

"Telling a group of gay people that you support gay marriage and then denying it in front of the whole city is worse than not taking a position at all," Quinn said. "It's political pandering at its absolute worst."

Meanwhile, a Manhattan couple filed suit against the city yesterday, claiming its refusal to issue marriage licenses to gay partners is discriminatory and a violation of their constitutional rights.