Republican presidential candidate Carly
Fiorina on Friday said that she supported an Indiana law that critics
argue targeted the LGBT community.
Dozens of businesses came out against
the measure, forcing Indiana Governor Mike Pence, a Republican, to
ask lawmakers for a fix to Indiana's version of the Religious Freedom
Restoration Act (RFRA). Opponents argued that the law would allow
businesses to turn away gay couples. Lawmakers approved wording that
makes it clear that the statute cannot be used to discriminate.
While other states have approved
similar but less divisive laws, the backlash in Indiana was swift and
powerful.
At the Presidential Family Forum in Des
Moines, Iowa on Friday, Fiorina, the former CEO of tech giant HP,
said that she agreed with Indiana's law as it was written.
“RFRA in Indiana, I actually stood up
and defended that law, vocally,” Fiorina said. “And castigated
some of my fellow technology CEOs who had the arrogance to say that
they were going to boycott selling their products in Indiana.”
“My comment publicly was really, I
don't see you boycotting the selling of your products to China or
Saudi Arabia or Iran, where all manner of human rights are
discriminated against day after day. I believe RFRA was
misinterpreted by the media and by many to say that RFRA permits
discrimination. No, RFRA does not permit discrimination, RFRA
protects the exercise of religious liberty,” she added.
Other candidates who appeared at the
forum included Texas Senator Ted Cruz, former Arkansas Governor Mike
Huckabee, Doctor Ben Carson, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick
Santorum, Florida Senator Marco Rubio and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul.
Cruz told those attending that out
actress Ellen
Page attacked him with accusations of hating gays while grilling
pork chops at the Iowa State Fair, while Rubio said that marriage
equality was not about discrimination.
(Related: Marco
Rubio: Gay marriage is not about discrimination.)