Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino, who earlier this week made strong remarks against homosexuality, is reported to have collected rent from two Buffalo gay bars.

Both downtown bars, Buddies II and Cobalt, were housed in buildings owned by Paladino in the mid-2000s. According to the New York Daily News, liquor license records show that Cobalt was co-owned by Paladino's son, William Paladino, under the corporate name 2975 Group LLC.

Cobalt, the Daily News reports, was a Delaware Avenue club that catered largely to gay clientele in 2004 and 2005, then went through a name change and switched gears to serve straight crowds before having its liquor license revoked in 2006.

In 2005 and 2006, Paladino owned the Franklin Street building that housed Buddies II. According to information obtained by the Daily News, Buddies II was operated under the name Queen City Entertainment.

Buddies II's MySpace page, which was last updated in 2007, is described in its "about me" section as "host to many gay and lesbian events year round and a proud supporter of all gay and lesbian events and organizations" in the Buffalo area. Included in the list of activities are "leather nights," a lesbian dart league and gay softball league. The bar also hosted drag shows.

On Tuesday, about 100 members of Buffalo's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community gathered outside Paladino's Ellicott Square Building in Buffalo, many holding signs criticizing Paladino for recent comments he made against same-sex marriage and gay pride parades.

"By his own words, Carl Paladino has made himself the poster boy for the kind of divisive leadership that makes young [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people] question their self-worth and gives license to those who use violence to advance their hate," Joe Solmonese, president of Human Rights Campaign, told The Buffalo News.

» The Huffington Post: Paladino Rented To Gay Clubs, Son William Paladino Operated One

» Associated Press: Report: NY's Paladino once rented to gay clubs