US: Arizona Governor’s office worked on gay discrimination legislation before she vetoed it
Despite condemning and vetoing a bill which would have given Arizona business owners the right to discriminate against gay couples, the state’s Governor actually had her office work on the legislation.
For the six weeks leading up to the passing of Senate bill 1062 in both houses of the Arizona legislature, documents show that Governor Jan Brewer’s office was involved with guiding the bill through.
According to reports, top aides acting on behalf of Brewer, including her attorney, policy adviser and legislative liaison, all worked on negotiating language, producing emails, memos and other records which showed they had helped alter language which could have hindered the bill’s progress.
On vetoing the bill on 27 February, Brewer said: “I have not heard one example in Arizona where a business owner’s religious liberty has been violated… The bill is broadly worded and could result in unintended and negative consequences.”
Nothing in the emails suggested that Brewer personally had any input into the bill, and aides have noted that their work on it did not suggest she had planned to sign it.
