WATCH: Jon Stewart Make Fun of Chris Christie’s Pig-Bill Veto
Jon Stewart doesn’t think much of Chris Christie’s veto of “pig welfare” bill that had popular backing in New Jersey — but was heavily opposed in Iowa, whose first-in-the nation caucus would be an early test of any Christie campaign for the presidency.
Watch:
The legislation, which would prohibit pig farmers in New Jersey from using gestational crates (which animal advocates and some legislators deem as cruel and inhumane) was viewed an early 2016 test for Christie, who is thinking about running for the GOP presidential nomination.
While pig farming isn’t a particularly big business in New Jersey, it’s a huge deal in Iowa, home to the first-in-the-nation caucuses, which kick off the presidential nominating process. In fact, Iowa is the country’s largest pork producer and the Humane Society has estimated that there are 1.1 million mother pigs in gestational crates so small that the animals can’t even turn around for up to four years of their lives.
The bill passed in both houses in the New Jersey State legislature in October with bipartisan support. The Assembly voted for the measure with a 53-13 vote, while the Senate passed it 32-1. On Friday, Christie vetoed the legislation, saying in a statement that the bill was a “solution in search of a problem” and a “political movement masquerading as substantive policy.” He added that the decision should be left to the state’s Board of Agriculture, which currently doesn’t ban the crates.
Stewart, meanwhile, notes the bill had the support of more than 90 percent of state residents.
