Rick Santorum: I made a mistake by endorsing judge who struck down marriage ban
Rick Santorum has admitted he made a “mistake” by endorsing a judge who struck down Pennsylvania’s same-sex marriage ban.
Judge John E Jones struck down the state’s ban last month, writing: “We are a better people than what these laws represent, and it is time to discard them into the ash heap of history.
However, after it emerged that Santorum – a notoriously ant-gay Republican – had personally endorsed the judge at his confirmation hearing, he repeatedly declined to comment and refused questions.
In 2002, Santorum warmly endorsed the judge at his senate confirmation hearing, saying: “John Jones is another outstanding lawyer and has served not just as an outstanding lawyer, but served the community beyond the practice of law.
“He also went to the same law school I went to. So he also has an outstanding legal education.”
Finally commenting on the judge’s appointment to Huffington Post, Santorum conceded: “We’re all entitled to a mistake.”
He added later: “The court has to stop being the judge and jury for the consciousness of America.
“That’s not what the court’s supposed to be. The court’s supposed to uphold the Constitution, not change the Constitution based on what they think is the current mood of the day.”
Santorum earned a reputation for anti-gay remarks during the 2012 Republican Presidential primaries, claiming that same-sex marriage will ‘disintegrate’ families, and pledging to invalidate all gay marriages if elected.
Yesterday, he claimed that same-sex marriage would hurt the economy by destroying families.
