A bill that was approved in the New Jersey Senate 24-16, and in the Assembly 42-33, was vetoed, as promised, by Governor Chris Christie; insisting that the issue be brought to a public referendum. Gov. Christie claims this will prevent legislative deadlock…which he would create. The governor made the following defense of the decision:

“I am adhering to what I’ve said since this bill was first introduced — an issue of this magnitude and importance, which requires a constitutional amendment, should be left to the people of New Jersey to decide. I continue to encourage the Legislature to trust the people of New Jersey and seek their input by allowing our citizens to vote on a question that represents a profoundly significant societal change. This is the only path to amend our State Constitution and the best way to resolve the issue of same-sex marriage in our state.”

“I have been just as adamant that same-sex couples in a civil union deserve the very same rights and benefits enjoyed by married couples – as well as the strict enforcement of those rights and benefits.” Source: NBC News

Steven Goldstein, chairman of a local gay rights group, Garden State Equality, implied in a statement released today that the move by the governor was politically motivated (imagine that…):

“He won’t veto the bill because he’s anti-gay. He’ll veto the bill because the 2016 South Carolina presidential primary electorate is anti-gay.”

One might argue that an issue of civil rights should not be brought to a public vote; being subject to the tyranny of the masses that our creators of the Constitution were weary of. Gov. Christie suggests that the gay marriage bill be on a ballot in the Fall and even suggests that the original Civil Rights legislation should have been subjected to a public referendum. MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow reacts to the governor’s decision: