By Jill Colvin
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MIDTOWN — A prominent Orthodox Jewish leader pulled his support of Carl Paladino in the wake of the gubernatorial candidate's recent apology for making anti-gay remarks.
Rabbi Yehuda Levin, who helped Paladino prepare the controversial speech he delivered to a group of rabbis in Williamsburg, said he will not back the Republican hopeful until he "straightens out."
Paladino apologized for the comments in statement released Tuesday.
"You said marching in a gay pride parade was the wrong thing to do," Levin said at a press conference Wednesday in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral. "Are you apologizing for that?"
Echoing the statements Paladino made Sunday in Williamsburg, Levin said children shouldn’t be "brainwashed" into thinking being gay is OK and that conservative voters should now cast their ballots elsewhere on Election Day.
"I thank God for the new paper ballots," he said. "We can write in 'God' and 'morality.'"
But Levin isn't the only one shunning Paladino, as his openly gay nephew reportedly blasted the candidate's comments and has stopped working for his campaign.
Jeff Hannon, who works as an aide for Paladino, apparently hasn't shown up for work since his uncle's remarks, the Daily News reported.
"Obviously I'm very offended by his comments," Hannon told the New York Post
In the days since his remarks, Paladino has used Hannon as an example of why he is not homophobic.
But it turns out that Hannon is less than pleased with his starring turn in the campaign.
He spent Tuesday hiding out at his parents' upstate home, the News reported.
"I don't want my face to be all over the newspaper over this," he told the paper.
