ALBANY, NY — Former New York Gov. George Pataki this week denounced an ultra-orthodox rabbi for his “offensive and disgraceful” remarks that described Hurricane Sandy as “divine justice” for the state’s legalization of marriage equality.

During a radio interview on Oct. 30, Rabbi Nathaniel Leiter, the executive director of Torah Jews for Decency, called the storm “divine justice” against the transgressions of lawmakers, and of residents of New York City, which he said is “one of the national centers for homosexuality.”

Responding to Leiter’s remarks, Pataki said, “It’s simply incomprehensible that anyone could attribute the devastation and loss of life caused by Hurricane Sandy to divine retribution against the New York State legislature,” adding that, “It’s like blaming America’s belief in freedom for the attacks of Sept. 11.”

Pataki, a three-term Republican chief executive who served as governor from 1995 to 2006, opposed same-sex marriage.

Comparing the crippling destruction of Sandy, Leiter said, “The Lord will not bring another flood to destroy the entire world, but he can punish particular areas with that flood, and if we look at the same-gender-marriage recognition movement that’s occurring, that’s certainly a message for us to learn.”