Contact: Andrew Edelson (201) 926-7249

Cardinale, Schepisi and Auth: Anti-Equality Tea Party Extremists

WESTWOOD – Anti-Equality Tea Party Extremists Senator Gerald Cardinale, Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi and Assemblyman Robert Auth may be reliable votes for Governor Chris Christie, but their records show that they cannot be counted on to protect Legislative District 39 families. Cardinale is one of the most outspoken anti-LGBT bigots in all of Trenton, while Schepisi and Auth have often voted against measures to protect the rights of the LGBT community in New Jersey.

Cardinale’s extreme record includes standing as the lone lawmaker from either party to speak out against marriage equality. He’s regularly made bigoted anti-gay comments, referring to a civil union bill, a precursor to marriage equality, as “anti-straight discrimination, pure and simple” and that gay people would commit “violence” to marriage if their unions were legally recognized. Cardinale was also just one of nine members of the Senate to vote against banning so-called sexual orientation conversion therapy for minors, a dangerous and medically-discredited practice that has been rejected by every mainstream healthcare organization in the United States.

Schepisi also opposed marriage equality when it passed the Legislature in 2012, in keeping with the views of Governor Christie, who vetoed the bill. Schepisi voted against the marriage equality bill in committee and abstained when the bill came before the full Assembly.

Like his colleagues, Robert Auth has demonstrated an opposition to LGBT equality. While he was not a member of the Legislature when marriage equality came up for a vote, he recently voted against modernizing New Jersey’s birth certificate policy to reflect contemporary standards of gender identity, making it harder for many New Jerseyans to access jobs or schools that require accurate identification.

“We are proud to stand up for LGBT equality and will fight to end discrimination in all its forms,” said Linda Schwager, candidate for Senate.

“For too long, Cardinale, Schepisi and Auth have stood in the way of progress,” said Jannie Chung, candidate for Assembly. “Their extreme views have allowed discrimination to continue against New Jersey families in their communities, work places and schools.”

“New leadership is needed to move our state and our district forward,” said Annie Hausmann, candidate for Assembly. “New Jersey families deserve representatives who will champion equality rather than Tea Party extremism that divides our communities.”

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