Remember when North Carolina caused a stir with its transgender bathroom policy? And everybody from Bruce Springsteen to entire states were threatening to boycott them?

Just a little over a year ago in April 2016, president Donald Trump was asked what he thought of the North Carolina laws that would force transgender people to use the bathrooms of the gender that they were assigned at birth. Trump vehemently disagreed with the law and said that transgender people should use "whatever bathroom they feel is appropriate."

From Trump, not a conservative by any means (or even a Republican for that matter) this answer wasn't shocking.

However, shortly thereafter, when asked if he would support a bill like North Carolina's, Gov. Christie stated that he likely would not sign such a bill in New Jersey. Aligned with Trump, he stood in defense of transgender rights.

True to his word, he signed a bill last week that provides for bathroom (and other) rights for transgender students.

But that doesn't jibe with the Republican principles that Christie always claimed to espouse. I mean, I'm not naive. It's not as if Christie is a true conservative. In fact, up until now, Christie has behaved somewhat like a moderate Democrat (maybe leaning a little bit more conservatively on some issues--particularly in his first term.)

Today's veto of the family paid leave expansion leave act in New Jersey is an example of that. And we all know that closer to the middle or a drop more to the right is where is political ethic really lies. Remember, this is a guy who thinks legalizing marijuana is the beginning of the end of modern society as we know it.

So, that begs the question: is his signing the transgender bathroom law into effect here in New Jersey just another political strategy? Which enemy in the Legislature is he trying to piss off? Or is this — as it seemed in April of last year — just another way of kissing Donald Trump's butt? Remaining in the President's orbit? Perhaps a last ditch effort to keep himself on the list for White House-related employment?

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Dennis and Judi are on the air weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tweet them @DennisandJudi or @NJ1015.

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