New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) on Monday denied accusations that he backpedaled his support for a bill that would grant in-state tuition to undocumented immigrants.
“I said the legislature should move in the lame duck session towards tuition equality in New Jersey. Period,” he said at a news conference, as quoted by ABC News. “That’s what I said. I didn’t support any particular piece of legislation. And I still support tuition equality.”
Christie’s remarks responded to an editorial published Sunday in the Newark Star-Ledger. The editorial accused the governor of supporting the legislation, known as the New Jersey DREAM Act, while he sought the Latino vote for his reelection bid — then dropping that position after he was elected to a second term as governor.
“The real reason for his flip-flop? Christie has his eyes on the presidency,” the editorial read. “And if he has to roll over Latinos to get there, he’ll do it.”
Christie said in a radio interview last week that he opposes the bill because it allows undocumented residents of other states to qualify for in-state tuition if they attend a New Jersey private school for at least three years, according to ABC News.
This post has been updated.
