New York Latest State To Institute Travel Ban Against Indiana
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has issued an official statement from Albany calling for an immediate ban on "non-essential travel" to the state of Indiana.
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New York joins Connecticut, as well as Washington, DC, Seattle, San Francisco and other municipalities in nixing travel to the Hoosier State.
On his website, Cuomo stated:
Today, I direct all agencies, departments, boards and commissions to immediately review all requests for state funded or state sponsored travel to the State of Indiana and to bar any such publicly funded travel that is not essential to the enforcement of state law or public health and safety. The ban on publicly funded travel shall take effect immediately.
New York State has been, and will continue to be, a leader in ensuring that all LGBT persons enjoy full and equal civil rights. With this action, we stand by our LBGT family members, friends and colleagues to ensure that their rights are respected."
Indiana Governor Mike Pence attempted to salvage his reputation by holding a press conference in this afternoon, "clarifying" that discrimination was never intended with this bill, nor will it be tolerated going forward.
"I've come to the conclusion that it would be helpful to move legislation this week that makes it clear that this law does not give businesses the right to discriminate against anyone," he told reporters.
This comes just days after his embarrassingly off-kilter interview with ABC's George Stephanopoulos, in which Pence explicitly stated that he wouldn't support an amendment including protections for LGBT citizens.
Watch Pence's interview with Stephanopoulos below.
