2016 FactCheck: on Abortion

Chris Christie: FactCheck: Donor to Planned Parenthood in '94, but denies it

We checked for sources from the OnTheIssues website and found the source of Rubio's assertion: a 2012 book entitled Chris Christie: The Inside Story of His Rise to Power. Christie is quoted from 1994, "I support Planned Parenthood privately with my personal contribution and that should be the goal of any such agency, to find private donations," when public funding was cut off (p. 49). The book also indicates that Christie was pro-choice until 1996 (p.201-2).

The authors of the book, Bob Ingle and Michael Symons, are both well-established New Jersey journalists; there seems to be little wiggle-room for Christie in their reporting. Gov. Christie did not explain his denial any further; so we score Rubio as correct, and score Christie as "further explanation needed."