Carly Fiorina On RFRA And Marriage

“The debate about gay marriage is really a debate about how the government bestows benefits and whether they should be bestowed equally. I believe they should. I also believe that people of religious conviction know that marriage is a religious institution with a spiritual foundation because only a man and a woman can create life, which is a gift that comes from God. We must protect their rights as well. I hope that we come to a place in this country where we are prepared to have respectful differences and tolerate those two views. Religious liberty and tolerance are too important to our country. It is frankly sad to me that politics has become a fact-free zone. It is sad that so many people on the left were quick to turn this into a divisive and destructive debate so they could further their own brand of identity politics. It is sad that CEOs took to Twitter before checking their facts, adding to the division instead of helping build tolerance.” – Likely 2016 presidential candidate Carly Fiorina, posting yesterday to her Facebook page.

Doesn’t it seem like Fiorina just endorsed same-sex marriage? I thought so and this USA Today headline makes that assertion, but a rep for Fiorina says something different to Bloomberg:



When reached for comment, spokesperson Anna Epstein said that Fiorina has, for years, supported government benefits for same-sex couples bound by civil unions. “Carly is against discrimination and for government benefits for same sex couples,” Epstein said. “She’s been supportive of civil unions and was supportive of them in her run in California in 2010.” In her statement Fiorina chastised “people on the left” as well as the CEOs from companies joining in a boycott of Indiana over its new law for not attempting to help “build tolerance.” “It has been tough for some in the media to understand my position because I refuse to join the game of name calling and vitriol. Politics shouldn’t be a game, however. We must find a way to respect one another, to celebrate a culture that protects religious freedom while condemning discrimination,” Fiornia said.