Breaking: Citing US Constitution, NC GOP Governor To Veto Anti-Gay ‘Religious Freedom’ Bill

Republican Governor Pat McCrory has just announced he will veto an anti-gay marriage “religious freedom” bill lawmakers passed today.

Back in February when the North Carolina state Senate passed an anti-gay marriage bill to “protect” magistrates from having to officiate same-sex weddings, Gov. Pat McCrory announced he opposed the legislation. The Republican governor has said little since about the bill, even keeping quiet Wednesday when the North Carolina House all but passed the bill, and even this morning when the House passed it and sent it to his desk.

But in a wisely-worded statement, GOP Governor Pat McCrory this afternoon announced he will veto SB2, and cited the U.S Constitution as his reason.

In a press release titled, “Governor McCrory defends Constitution,” the 58-year old governor, elected in 2013, offered a smart analysis of the unconstitutional legislation.

“I recognize that for many North Carolinians, including myself,  opinions on same-sex marriage come from sincerely held religious beliefs that marriage is between a man and a woman. However, we are a nation and a state of laws. Whether it is the president, governor, mayor, a law enforcement officer, or magistrate, no public official who voluntarily swears to support and defend the Constitution and to discharge all duties of their office should be exempt from upholding that oath; therefore, I will veto Senate Bill 2.” 

Many LGBT activists, including celebrities like North Carolinian native Clay Aiken, had pleaded with the Governor to veto the ill-conceived bill.

Lawmakers will need a three-fifths majority to override the veto.

NC Policy Watch notes that the Senate will likely override the veto, but the House may not be able to. 

Of course so called “values” groups were outraged:

Stay tuned.

 

Image by Hal Goodtree via Flickr and a CC license