NEW SCOTLAND — Albany County Democrats are calling on county Legislator George Langdon IV, a Republican from Coeymans, to resign after he made homophobic comments over the weekend at a seminar on constitutional liberty – an event that was partially hosted by another Coeymans resident who was charged on Tuesday for being at the U.S. Capitol insurrection.
Langdon made the remarks at Camp Pinnacle, a Bible camp and retreat just south of Thacher State Park, which hosted a seminar titled “A Return to Liberty under the Constitution.” William Tryon is seen in a nearly four-hour video of the event introducing a series of guests, which also included Lewis County Sheriff Michael Carpinelli, who has said he is running for governor. Tryon is being charged with three federal misdemeanors for entering the Capitol on Jan. 6.
Langdon started his speech by urging pastors and religious leaders to get involved in local elections and use their influence.
“I know you have to have that so-called ‘separation of church and state,’ that’s bogus,” he said. “The people need some guidance; they don’t understand the implications of some of these decisions.”
He then turned to gay marriage and gay relationships, referencing a previous speaker’s comments on gender issues. You can watch the comments here.
“Everything God does is sustainable, it’s sustainable. It’s perpetual. … Sorry, when you have homosexual relationships, it’s not perpetual. Give them an island, they’ll be gone in 40 years. Because God created us this way. There’s so much common sense that needs to be applied to our policies, our procedures that we do in our government.”
Former Coeymans Town Supervisor Stephen Flach is Camp Pinnacle’s executive camp director. He also spoke at the event and jokingly said “I understand most of you have a medical exemption” to not wear a mask per pandemic protocols, eliciting laughs from the audience. Carpinelli also went after mask mandates required as part of the COVID-19 crisis, saying “our God wants us to smile at each other.”
The event’s main speaker was Richard Mack, a former Arizona sheriff who is known nationally for advocating for looser gun restrictions and referring to the federal government as “the greatest threat we face today.”
Vashon-Renee McIntyre, a Republican candidate for the Third Ward council seat in Albany, also spoke at the event.
Langdon’s remarks drew swift backlash after the video began circulating on social media. The Albany County Democratic Committee and local politicians called for him to apologize and resign.
Albany Councilman Richard Conti, who said he is the area’s longest-serving LGBTQ elected official, said Langdon’s remarks were deeply offensive and should be condemned.
“During my time in public office, and even before, I have worked to build an inclusive community respectful of all residents regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity,” he said. “All residents of Albany County deserve and have the right to be treated with dignity and respect.”
Libby Post, an LGBTQ activist and local business owner, said Langdon’s remarks showed how little he thought of LGBTQ residents in the county.
“I think it’s pretty clear he doesn’t value our lives,” she said. “We’re the other, they don’t think of us as human beings.”
Albany County Executive Dan McCoy called Langdon’s comments “wildly homophobic and hurtful” and said that he should apologize to Albany County residents. McCoy also suggested Langdon should resign, saying if the comments were representative of his thinking, he did not belong in county government.
“Every resident, no matter who they love or how they identify, deserves a place in Albany County, not to be relegated to some theoretical ‘island,’ ” McCoy said in a statement. “The past four years have shown us that we cannot afford to shrug off hate and bigotry. We have to confront it and call it what it is – hate.”
Albany County Legislature Chairman Andrew Joyce, a Democrat, said Langdon is unfit to serve.
“It pains me to even remotely amplify the disgusting comments spewed out by Albany County Legislator George Langdon,” he said in a statement. “Listening to someone laughingly share an ugly, nightmarish scenario of our loved ones being ‘gone after 40 years’ shakes us all to our core, not only as public servants but as human beings. I call on him to apologize and resign. Not for 40 years, but forever.”
Langdon is in his first term in the legislature after serving on the Coeymans Town Board. He did not return a call for comment Wednesday. Langdon is chief financial officer at Crystal Clear Finances, a business based in Latham that he operates with his wife and son. A receptionist there said he was not in the office Wednesday and he does not have voicemail.
Albany County Legislature Minority Leader Frank Mauriello called Langdon’s comments, “unacceptable,” but stopped short of calling for his resignation.
“Whatever your sexual orientation, we are all equal in God’s s eyes and equal under the law. Any statements that contradict that belief are unacceptable,” he said in a statement. “On the subject of resignation, each elected official is responsible for their words and
actions and is accountable to the constituents in his/her district.”
Albany County GOP Chairman Randy Bashwinger did not respond to a request for comment after being sent a link to the video by the Times Union.
