Fox News on Sunday falsely reported
that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie did not veto legislation
seeking to legalize gay marriage in the state.
“Pro life and opposed to same-sex
marriage, Christie did not veto a gay marriage law in New Jersey this
year and has few ties to the Tea Party,” the
outlet reported in a Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace
segment. “That could put him at a disadvantage in 2016 in the
early voting states dominated by ardent social and fiscal
conservatives against Tea Party darlings like Ted Cruz, Rand Paul,
Marco Rubio and others.”
Christie, in fact, did veto a marriage
law approved by lawmakers last year. Marriage equality advocates
were working furiously this year ahead of a January, 2014 deadline to
override Christie's veto when the law was suddenly toppled by a court
ruling ordering New Jersey to begin issuing marriage licenses to gay
couples. After the New Jersey Supreme Court expressed low confidence
that the state would win on appeal, Christie dropped his appeal.
Throughout his re-election campaign,
Christie reiterated his belief that the issue should be decided “by
the people, by referendum” not politicians or judges.
During the second and final televised
gubernatorial debate against his Democratic challenger, Christie was
asked what we would say if one of his four children came out gay.
“If my children came to me and said
that they were gay, I would grab them and hug them and tell them I
love them,” Christie answered. “But what I would also tell them
is, that dad believes that marriage is between one man and one woman.
And that's my position. And my children understand that there are
going to be differences of opinion in our house and in houses all
across this state and across this country.”