No Right to Conscience According to Chris Christie?

New Jersey Governor and 2016 GOP Presidential candidate made a statement last week in New Hampshire in light of the Supreme Court ruling on marriage that is truly disappointing.

In his mind there is no right to religious conscience, which is assumed by the First Amendment, for public sector workers in his state.

Time reports:

“I think for folks who are in the government world, they kind of have to do their job, whether you agree with the law or you don’t,” Christie told reporters following a town hall at a lakeside home, noting there are laws that he enforces as governor that he disagrees with. “I’m sure there are individual circumstances that might merit some examination,” he added, “but none that come immediately to mind for me.”

“You took the job and you took the oath,” he said. “When you go back and re-read the oath it doesn’t give you an out. You have to do it.”

I’m curious where he would draw the line.  Does this mean that doctors on the state payroll have to provide abortions?  Also, he violates what is fast becoming my most dreaded pet peeve – referring to a court opinion as a law.

Contrast Christie’s statement with Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal who by executive order affirmed to state employees that their religious liberty rights would be protected.  You can also contrast him with Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee who outlined his plan to protect religious liberty in a press release and discussed it with me on Caffeinated Thoughts Radio last weekend.

There’s a lot of daylight on this issue.

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