http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/237471-pence-calls-for-immediate-fix-to-controversial-lawMarch 31, 2015, 11:36 am
Indiana governor backs down, calls for fix to religious law
By Ben Kamisar
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) on Tuesday backed away from his support for a religious freedom law and asked his state Legislature to immediately change it to ensure it would not discriminate against gays and lesbians.
Pence, who signed the bill into law last week, insisted it was not intended to allow businesses to discriminate against gay people.
But in the face of a growing firestorm and economic boycotts of his state, he argued state lawmakers should act immediately to quell concerns over the measure.
“It would be helpful to move legislation this week that makes it clear that this law does not give businesses the right to deny services to anyone,” Pence said at a press conference Tuesday morning.
“We want to make it clear that Indiana is open for business, we want to make it clear that Hoosier hospitality is not a slogan, its our way of life.”
Pence, who has been seen as a potential GOP presidential candidate, blamed the media and critics of his law for much of the controversy.
He said he believes the law “does not give anyone a license to deny services to gay and lesbian couples,” and that the law had been mischaracterized.
“The proper legislative remedy is to focus on the perception that has been created by the misunderstanding,” he said. “This was grossly mischaracterized by advocates who opposed the bill and frankly sloppy reporting.”
Pence previously had defended the law as a necessary way to ward off government intrusion into personal religious beliefs. The governor had also noted that a version of the law is on the books in dozens of states.