Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, a
Republican, on Wednesday lamented that Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, also
a Republican, vetoed a bill which opponents said would allow
businesses and individuals to discriminate against gay people.
“I'm sorry that she made the
decision,” Bachmann told ABC
News' Jeff Zeleny. “And it's because I believe that tolerance
is a two-way street and we need to respect everyone's rights,
including the rights of people who have sincerely held religious
beliefs.”
Brewer decided against signing the bill
amid a loud outcry from corporate leaders, activists and politicians,
including several prominent Republicans.
(Related: Mitt
Romney, Newt Gingrich join chorus of Republicans opposed to Arizona's
anti-gay bill.)
“Constitutional rights shouldn't be
traded away. No matter if the NFL decides to have an economic
boycott or not. There is no price that you can put on constitutional
liberties,” she said.
Bachmann went on to assert that
“there's a terrible intolerance afoot in the United States, and
it's against people who hold sincerely held religious beliefs.”