Chris Christie in 2013 New Jersey governor debates
On Civil Rights:
If my kids were gay, I'd give them a hug; but no marriage
Christie and Buono clashed on marriage equality. Asked how he would react if any of his children told him they were gay, Christie maintained his opposition to legalizing same-sex marriage.
"If my children came to me and said they were gay I would grab them and hug them and tell them I love them," Christie said. "I would also tell them that your dad believes that marriage is between one man and one woman."
Source: Newark Star-Ledger on 2013 N.J. Governor debates
Oct 16, 2013
On Gun Control:
Vetoed outright ban on Barrett .50 caliber rifle
On gun control, Christie explained why he vetoed an outright ban on the powerful Barrett .50 caliber rifle, even though he initially proposed a ban on future purchases.
He blamed Democrats for going back on their word during negotiations with him. "If they break a deal with me, then there's going to be ramifications,"
Christie said. "They didn't keep their word on this."Buono said she believes Christie changed his mind after he received a letter from gun rights advocates in
New Hampshire, the site of the nation's first presidential primary.
Source: Newark Star-Ledger on 2013 N.J. Governor debates
Oct 16, 2013
On Immigration:
I've never been opposed to tuition equality for illegals
Christie threaded the needle on the Dream Act, a law that would permit students who entered the country illegally to pay in-state tuition rates. Two years ago he said the state couldn't afford to extend tuition equality
to "people who haven't followed the rules." A few days ago in front of a largely Hispanic crowd, he said it's time to reconsider the measure. "I've never been opposed to tuition equality," Christie said.
Source: Newark Star-Ledger on 2013 N.J. Governor debates
Oct 16, 2013
On Government Reform:
Vetoes expanded early-voting system; no side-by-side systems
Christie vetoed a bill that would allow early voting at polling places, calling a proposal to let voters cast ballots at designated polling places during a 15-day period before Election Day "hasty, counterproductive and less reliable" than the current
system. "I support responsible and cost-efficient election reform that increases voter participation because democracy works best when the most people vote," Christie said in the veto message. "But this bill risks the integrity and orderly administration
of our elections by introducing a new voting method and process."Christie said the expanded early voting system envisioned by the Legislature would create a side-by-side voting process, noting it would cost the state $23 million in the
first year and $2 million each year after that. He also questioned the security of transporting paper ballots around the state during the early voting period and the call for a quick setup before July 1.
Source: Newark Star Ledger on 2013 N.J. governor debates
May 9, 2013
On Jobs:
I inherited 119,000 private-sector jobs lost
Christie said on March 6th that the year before he took office, the state lost 119,000 private-sector jobs, labeling them "Corzine jobs losses of 2009."Christie's number is in the ballpark. Let's look at the Republican governor's numbers and whether
Corzine is truly to blame for those lost jobs. Both the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and NJ Department of Labor show NJ had 3,209,900 private-sector jobs in December 2009. A year prior, the state had 3,325,600 private-sector jobs. That's a net loss of
115,700 jobs.
Next, we need to determine whether Corzine really is to blame for those lost jobs. The first half of 2009--Corzine's last year in office--was marked by recession. The governor not only can't take all the credit for job gains, he can't pin
blame for loss solely on another administration when there are other factors at work.
Our ruling: Since the governor's number is off slightly and the claim implies that Corzine is to blame for those job losses, we give Christie a ruling of Half True.
Source: PolitiFact.com on 2013 N.J. governor debates
Mar 21, 2013
On Tax Reform:
2012: Across-the-board tax cut; 2013: exclude over $400K
Buono said in an interview on MSNBC: "Christie's idea of jumpstarting the economy is to propose a trickle-down income tax cut." Buono keeps repeating this claim about Gov. Chris Christie that leaves out significant details and has accuracy issues.
Previously, Buono tied the Republican governor's support of an income tax cut to it disproportionately benefiting the wealthiest New Jerseyans. The Truth-O-Meter ruled that claim, and this new one, as False.In January 2012 Christie proposed cutting
income tax rates by 10% across-the-board over 3 years; higher-income taxpayers would have seen a greater decrease because they pay more in income taxes. But after Democrats cried foul, the governor backed off that plan and endorsed a Democratic proposal
to cut income taxes only for income under $400,000.
Buono is correct that Christie proposed a tax cut last year. But Buono leaves out that the governor dropped his original proposal in favor of a Democratic tax-cut plan that he's supported since July.
Source: PolitiFact.com on 2013 N.J. governor debates
Mar 5, 2013
Page last updated: Dec 05, 2018