Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley has
said New Jersey Governor Chris Christie should have considered the
children of gay couples in vetoing a gay marriage bill approved last
week by lawmakers.
During an
appearance on SiriusXM Radio's OutQ, O'Malley told host
Michelangelo Signorile that he hopes the Maryland Senate follows in
the footsteps of the House and approves a bill which would make
Maryland the eighth state to legalize gay marriage. Debate
on the bill began in the Senate on Thursday.
O'Malley said his previous position in
support of civil unions for gay couples was “wrong.”
“I believed that in my short service
to the people of this state that the consensus point on this issue
could only be reached around civil unions,” he said. “I was
wrong. It became possible to reach a consensus on marriage
equality.”
“There's been an evolution in the
broadest sense among the people of our state. Initially, when this
issue first became very visible – after Mayor Gavin Newsom
conducted marriages in San Francisco [in 2004] – I think initially
a lot people had a lot of fear, and a lot of misplaced fear, and over
time I think people have come to realize that the way forward, among
people of many different faiths, is always through the greater and
broader respect for equal rights for all.”
In a separate statement, the governor
responded to Christie's veto: “In contrast to what is happening in
New Jersey, Governor O'Malley has always said he would sign the bill
if passed. All children should live in loving, stable and committed
homes. The governor is proud of the steps thus far by Maryland
legislators to step up and protect rights equally.”