Pence in Op-ed Says Indiana Law ‘Not a License to Discriminate’ - East Idaho News
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Pence in Op-ed Says Indiana Law ‘Not a License to Discriminate’

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ABC mike pence jt 150329 16x9 992?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1427802418539ABC News(NEW YORK) — In a Wall Street Journal op-ed appearing in Tuesday’s edition, Indiana Republican Governor Mike Pence tries to quell some of the controversy surrounding his signing of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), explaining that the law “is not a license to discriminate,” as his critics have said.

Saying the law “mirrors federal law that President Bill Clinton signed in 1993,” Pence argues that the law as written “provides a mechanism to address claims, not a license for private parties to deny services.”

The governor, who has come under attack from LGBT groups, politicians, business organizations and others, contends, “If I were presented a bill that legalized discrimination against any person or group, I would veto it. Indiana’s new law contains no reference to sexual orientation.”

However, some have pointed out that Pence’s editorial still does not answer the question of whether merchants can still be permitted not to serve gays or lesbians based on their religious beliefs.

Furthermore, the Indiana law differs from the law signed by Clinton in that it also applies to corporations and associations, not just people who may feel their religious liberties have been impinged upon.

Pence, who is believed to be considering a run for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination, has support for his law from at least three other White House hopefuls: Texas Senator Ted Cruz, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum.


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