TRENTON, N.J., Jan. 13 (UPI) — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, responding to a report that he supported Planned Parenthood in 1994, said: “I’m convinced it was a misquote.”
Christie has said recently that he defunded the group due to his vehement anti-abortion beliefs. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said Christie donated to the group. When asked about that in an interview with CBS’s Face the Nation on Sunday, Christie denied it.
Earlier this week, the New Jersey Star Ledger unearthed a quote from Christie when he was running for county office in 1994. The quote was part of a discussion on whether to use county money to fund Planned Parenthood.
“I support Planned Parenthood privately with my personal contribution, and that should be the goal of any such agency, to find private donations,” he was quoted saying in the newspaper on Sept. 30, 1994. “It’s also no secret that I am pro-choice. … But you have to examine all the agencies needing county donations and prioritize them. I would consider all groups looking for funding, but there is a limit, and we have to pick and choose.”
In an interview with The Washington Post published Tuesday, Christie was asked again whether he donated to Planned Parenthood.
“I never donated to Planned Parenthood,” he replied. “I’ve been strongly pro-life for 20 years. I had a change of heart. Not everyone is born pro-life.”
When asked specifically about the 1994 quote: “Listen, this is a quote from 21 years ago. I’m convinced it was a misquote,” he said. “Understand what was going on. In 1994-95, I was fighting against county funding of Planned Parenthood even though I was pro-choice.”
