The ACLU-NJ first examined Gov. Chris Christie’s record on civil liberties and civil rights in 2012, midway through his first term in office. At the time, the governor earned mostly low marks for his administration’s poor handling of many critical civil liberties issues, such as reproductive freedom and free speech. He received positive marks for standing up against bullying of persons in the LGBT community and for respecting freedom of religion.
Two years later, Gov. Christie’s first term is behind him and the ACLU-NJ has taken another look at the governor’s performance in civil rights and civil liberties subjects. The ACLU-NJ examined 12 areas and graded the governor based on his and his administration’s public statements, actions, and inaction on important policy decisions. This report examines his first term as governor, which ended in January 2014.