Washington Gay Marriage: Chris Gregoire Appealed To Chris Christie

Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire (D) reached out to Chris Christie last month on the issue of same-sex marriage, offering to discuss the issue with the New Jersey governor.

On Jan. 31, Gregoire wrote to Christie, a Republican, about how she came to terms with the issue, "because while I am a Governor, I am also a Catholic."

According to Gregoire's spokeswoman, Karina Shagren, Christie has yet to respond.

Both Washington and New Jersey had landmark weeks for marriage equality. On Monday, Washington became the seventh state to legalize same-sex nuptials when Gregoire signed the state's marriage bill into law. On the same day, New Jersey's state senate passed a similar bill. The state assembly then passed the bill on Thursday.

Christie, also a Catholic, opposes the bill and has said he will veto the legislation when it reaches his desk.

The bill has become a major issue for the New Jersey governor in recent weeks. Christie, who favors a ballot referendum on gay marriage rather than statehouse action, came under fire in January for comparing the possible referendum to the civil rights movement. "The fact of the matter is, I think people would have been happy to have a referendum on civil rights rather than fighting and dying in the streets in the South," he said.

Christie later clarified and apologized for his comments.

Shagren, the Gregoire spokeswoman, also clarified that the Washington governor had reached out as a friend. "By no means is there some contentious feeling between the two," she said.

Also on HuffPost:

Comments

[Shimosan]

10:23 AM on 02/17/2012

Yess! Congratulations for gay marriage in Washington! I hope that the same scenario in France coming soon! Pending the just gay married can discover the capital of love Paris with our special honeymoon packages (www.absoluliving.com) or visit blog www.my-gay-paris.com

[Steven Brooks]

08:49 AM on 02/17/2012

His comments on a civil rights referendum in the South is more to the point than he seems to realize. If there was a referendum it probably would have lost. What would he say then, that "the people had spoken?" If anyone suggested that there be a referendum on the non-tax status of churches, would he support that? People's rights should never be subject to a vote, because a right that can be granted can also be taken away, and by definition that is not a "right".

[sdave]

08:32 AM on 02/17/2012

Like Christie cares about gay people? He probably has no issue with them personally, but he cares far more about his political future in the GOP......which demands that gay people be treated as scum...

[gibby1855]

12:44 PM on 02/17/2012

Notice how wide his Mouth can open in the picture! I'm just saying

[Jay Robert Harris]

11:19 PM on 02/17/2012

He doesn't care about gay people because we aren't deep fried in butter.

[comhunt]

05:50 AM on 02/17/2012

This Gregoire character is up for re-election .............the first time around she lost............but a LIB judge found a whole slew of "ballots" all with the same address at a town hall basement...............and handed the election over to the judges pal-- Gregorie.

[gted1954]

06:40 AM on 02/17/2012

Yes, and we all know about judges selecting someone, don't we?

[GDWhiteman]

07:46 AM on 02/17/2012

You 1st sentence is a lie - she's term-limited out after this term. Why on earth would anyone believe anything else you say?

[ggs83]

12:54 AM on 02/17/2012

Wake Up Democrats:
Chris Christie wants to put marriage equality on the ballot so he can get Republicans out to vote in November.
He knows that NJ voters will not bother voting for Romney or Santorum or Gingrich; he needs a wedge issue to get GOP voters out

[comhunt]

05:55 AM on 02/17/2012

That's a Democrat trick......and notice that instead of debating the REAL ISSUES like unemployment, energy, deficits, the wars, forclosures, etc...........the LIB MEDIA and Democrats want to focus on gay marriage and contaception............see, discussing the REAL ISSUES will wipe out any chance of Obama and the Dems winning in November.

[GDWhiteman]

07:47 AM on 02/17/2012

Do you lie compulsively or is it a choice?

[Steven Brooks]

08:51 AM on 02/17/2012

No, it's a Republican trick. Putting gay marriage on many states ballots in 2000 brought out many conservative voters who helped elect Bush.

[stephen griffith]

10:00 PM on 02/16/2012

Unless she sent him her request on chocolate stationary, I doubt it got a second look.

[madchen515]

11:41 PM on 02/16/2012

Hahahaha

[bessielil]

09:56 PM on 02/16/2012

Well, since he realized he 'misspoke' on the civil rights referendum thing, perhaps someone can make him see that his legislature is ready to expand rights of his constituents. Perhaps he can clarify and apologize for this as well.

[truth be told again]

09:16 PM on 02/16/2012

What? A GOP male listen to a woman??? It'll never happen.

[DessieRandom]

11:50 PM on 02/16/2012

Unless that woman is some Bachmann type, and she's pouring water for them while she speaks.

[darlama]

08:35 PM on 02/16/2012

Big Butt would discover, if he could go back in time and have his way, that the South wasn't all about having a vote to see how the slavery issue would turn out. Is this sugar addicted idiot losing all grip on reality?

[Balancement]

08:25 PM on 02/16/2012

Did she have to wave a sandwich in front of him to get his attention?

[truth be told again]

09:17 PM on 02/16/2012

He hasn't responded yet. So maybe she didn't succeed in getting his attention. Don't forget, he's a Republican male. Not their job to listen to women.

[Balancement]

09:19 PM on 02/16/2012

That's why I suggested the sandwich.

[lovingthismoment50]

09:52 PM on 02/16/2012

Nope - a 5 lb foot long hot dog, actually.

[Pete Gaioni]

07:53 PM on 02/16/2012

Let's all be Waterford Crystal clear about what's really going on here: The fate of New Jersey... and the earth... hang in the balance. At this very moment, innumerable married gays around the world are committing acts of what I have taken to calling “homoterrorism” meant to destroy all we hold dear.

It's true. And The Department of Homeland Security had better beef up their staffing and be on the lookout for same-sex love acts calculated to destroy Traditional Marriage. Or else.

For example, if a large number of lesbians were to hug one another, it could cause the collapse of the Greek economy. (See. I told you.). A sufficient volume of men kissing other men could end with Michelle Bachman losing the GOP nomination. In terms of US national security, we clearly have a "fuchsia-level" alert situation (which is super-high). Make no mistake; it won't be easy. These homoterrorists have gotten pretty smart and learned how to blend in with normal people.

To educate yourself more fully on this topic, please visit www.mymarriageruinsyours.com.

[Mary Mclocke]

10:37 PM on 02/16/2012

Pete ~!! I followed your link to your blog. OMGosh I love it!! I'll be telling all my friends about it! Love your too funny post as well... I've been in dire need of some laughs! Fanned and faved !! I'm going back - I need me some further education!

[Pete Gaioni]

04:01 PM on 02/20/2012

Mary, you made my week. :)

[Blaze Burton]

01:17 AM on 02/17/2012

Shhhhhhhh your giving away our secret plan

[Pete Gaioni]

04:02 PM on 02/20/2012

Don't worry... there's NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO STOP US!.

BWAH-HA-HA!!!!!!

[Ryan Wonder]

07:24 PM on 02/16/2012

This is absolutely fantastic

[flatbushfred]

06:59 PM on 02/16/2012

Gregoire is a total class act - the exact opposite of Christie.

[Davwbaird]

10:07 PM on 02/16/2012

Damn right. She will go down in history as one of our greatest Governors.

[Hooponopono]

06:22 PM on 02/16/2012

From the very begining when Hawaii did it in 1998, I've asked this very question over and over. How can we possibly put the rights of a minority, no matter how unpopular that minority is, on the ballot to either be granted or denied by the majority in the voting booth? For 14 years now, as I've watched state after state after state to more than 30 of them now do just this, I'm still asking. I have to believe that this will go down in our history of shame along with slavery and the roundup of Japanese Americans during WW II. All these years later and we have the Governor of New Jersey opting to continue this unAmerican travisty.

[Jimmy Gitz]

10:05 PM on 02/16/2012

These "so-called" leaders find it easier to put it to vote, than to make bold and courageous decisions and risk offending the church mice. Courage is Gov Chris Gregoire of the Great State of Washington. She will be in the White House some day - not as a guest......jcg

[bigdaddydubya]

06:21 PM on 02/16/2012

If he were to sign the bill into law, I think it would be the single thing to make him the GOP VP nomination. There are so many persons I am aquainted with who are Republicans, but cannot stomach the Gay hate thing that has come to define the GOP, these persons will either not vote or vote for Obama out of frustration.

[Davwbaird]

10:12 PM on 02/16/2012

It would assure he would not be on on the ticket, if he had a sense of justice and signed the bill.

[bigdaddydubya]

12:23 AM on 02/17/2012

Yes you are right, I was stating a "if the Republicans had a clue and wanted to win in November scenario."