Getty Images by Chip Somodevilla. Taken at the US Supreme Court. That is the same sex marriage flag. Nov. 30, 2012.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger
September 28, 2013: Two days ago, a New Jersey Superior Court judge ruled that the ban on gay marriage in the Garden State violated the rights of same sex couples and she ordered that the State of New Jersey must allow same sex marriage by October 21. Governor Christie said that he would appeal and ask for a stay.
Just to bring you up to date and backtrack a bit: The New Jersey Legislature had passed a gay marriage act in February 2012, but the Governor vetoed it, and the Democratic-dominated State Legislature did not have the votes to override. The Governor has been sympathetic to same sex marriage, but he believes that the question should be decided by the citizens of New Jersey. However, his solution of a referendum was refused by the Legislature.
He said, in 2012, “Since the Legislature refused to allow the people to decide expeditiously, we will let the Supreme Court make this constitutional determination.”
In June of this year, the Supreme Court ruled that same sex married couples are entitled to federal benefits. The Court let stand existing gay marriage state laws, but the ruling did not provide federal benefits to those who have civil unions, which we have in New Jersey. So our Civil Union Law does not provide same sex couples with equal protection. Thus, law suits were filed in New Jersey, leading to the NJ Superior Court ruling noted above.
Fast forward to today’s Candidates’ Day in Ocean Grove where those who are running for 11th District seats in the Senate and Assembly in Trenton debated issues and answered questions from a group of about 60 Grovers. Herb Bachmann, a citizen of the Grove, rose to ask Assemblywoman Christine Casagrande (R) about gay marriage in New Jersey.
Ms. Casagrande had not supported a veto overide and if she changed her mind now, it still wouldn’t produce enough votes. But Mr. Bachmann asked her, “Can you evolve on this issue in order to save the state and the taxpayers money?” He didn’t ask the question of the other Republican present, Sen. Jennifer Beck, because she is pro-choice and pro-gay marriage.
Assemblywoman Casagrande responded by asserting that the issue has become “politicized” and that she supports the Governor in “letting the people decide.”
Mr. Bachmann was unhappy with her answer and he said, “Putting it to a vote is a cop-out.” He said that the Legislature should decide by overriding the Governor’s veto.
Ms. Casagrande followed up by saying, “Marriage is a society construct, so the citizens should decide by a vote.”
Neptune Committeeman Kevin McMillan, one of the Democratic candidates for Assembly, said that he supported gay marriage and that “the government should be out of your bedroom.”
Red Bank Councilman Ed Zipprich, Democratic candidate for Assembly, said that he is in a civil union and “it is important for us to have a legal status.” Note that there now are only two openly gay members in the NJ Legislature. He said that “we are currently denied federal benefits.” He also rejected the idea of a referendum because “the LGBT community is in a minority.”
After that, the moderator concluded the discussion.