By Elizabeth Crum, Nevada News Bureau: Despite signing a pledge eight years ago that he would oppose domestic partnerships outside of marriage, gubernatorial contender Brian Sandoval, who last year said he supports such arrangements, said today he forgot he had signed the document. Sandoval also claimed there was no contradiction.
“I have always believed that marriage is between a woman and a man,” said Sandoval. “My position has not changed at all. When I signed that pledge in 2002, I interpreted domestic partnerships to be an analogue for marriage.”
When pointed to language in the pledge he signed as a candidate for attorney general that states an opposition to the endorsement of all marriage “imitations” including “domestic partnerships,” Sandoval said he did not interpret that language to be prohibitive of support for SB 283 and added, “I did not support [SB 283] as another name for marriage.”
The Marriage Protection Pledge signed by Sandoval in 2002 states that “awarding spousal equivalent rights to non-married couples defeats the civil purpose of marriage” and that “various “domestic partnership,” “civil union,” or “reciprocal beneficiary relationship” benefits belong exclusively to marriage”.
The pledge closes with a promise to “oppose any endorsement of marriage imitations, including “domestic partnerships,” “civil unions,” reciprocal beneficiary relationships,” or any similar arrangement.”
Sandoval told the Las Vegas Sun in September of 2009 that he would have signed SB 283, a law granting same-sex couples the ability to secure domestic partnership contracts that essentially give them the same legal rights as married couples.
Sandoval rejected the suggestion that the domestic partnerships and non-marital beneficiary relationships he promised to oppose in the 2002 pledge were the same as the domestic partnerships and related benefits he said he supported after they were passed into law in 2009.
“This is an example of why I don’t think signing pledges is a good idea,” said Sandoval.
Sandoval had told members of the media earlier this week that he would not sign the Nevada Taxpayer Pledge because he is generally opposed to signing pledges of any kind.
“I haven’t signed any pledges, and I am going to remain consistent on that,” said Sandoval.
