Moron Of The Week: Arizona’s Gov. Jan Brewer

For keeping on the hating Arizona’s minorities, This time? The Gays, by asking the Supreme Court to hear a discrimination case involving benefits for State employee’s same-sex partners. Of course to strip them from their rights.

ARIZONA: Gov. Jan Brewer’s Anti-Gay Benefits Crusades Leads To Resignation

Towleroad reports:

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer has stirred the pot once again by asking the Supreme Court to hear a discrimination case involving benefits for state employee’s same-sex partners. 

Former Gov. Janet Napolitano had previously signed an executive order allowing benefits for state and university workers, but Brewer, a Tea Party conservative, reversed that decision.
Two federal courts have said that withholding benefits violates the Constitution, so Brewer thinks the Supreme Court should get involved, as if it doesn’t have enough potential gay cases on its plate.
Besides, Lambda Legal says it’s too soon for SCOTUS to consider the matter.
Tara Borelli is a staff attorney with the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, which filed the lawsuit challenging the law on behalf of gay employees.
She said it is inappropriate for the high court to consider overturning the injunction because the underlying case has not yet gone to trial. Borelli pointed out that the state has not yet introduced evidence about the cost-savings associated with eliminating benefits to same-sex partners, even though “that has been one of their primary justifications.”
“This case is about equal pay for equal work,” she said. “And we now have multiple judges who have looked at the case and have said Arizona simply has no good reason to deny important compensation for state workers that others can take for granted. We think this is about a desire to treat lesbian and gay state workers unequally.”
Democratic State Rep. Matt Heinz, who is openly gay, blasted Brewer’s decision last week, saying, “Since (Senate Bill) 1070 largely failed, Governor Jan Brewer decided to shift her efforts to legalize bigotry from one population to another.” He’s not the only state official who took umbrage with Brewer’s overreach.

The Arizona Daily Sun reports that Edwin Leslie, a hotelier who Brewer appointed to a state tourism board, stepped down in protest. “Your actions … are in direct conflict with your reiteration that all Americans are entitled to the same ‘inalienable rights,’” he wrote in his resignation letter. He also said that her actions will hurt Arizona’s tourism industry. 

“The state of Arizona derives considerable revenues from tourism and considerable revenues from the LGBT community members that visit our great state,” wrote Leslie, who is openly gay. “The tourism industry is critical to the state’s economy. I urge you to put aside the politics.”
He went on: “It is my hope that one day the state of Arizona leads the nation in extending benefits to LGBT families, allowing same sex marriage and adoption, and show that everyone is welcome in Arizona.”
Brewer’s office said it is “regrettable” Leslie “has opted to politicize his [resignation] in this manner.” They also said Brewer’s quest isn’t about discrimination, but about reining in power Napalitano let run wild.
“[This] is about the authority of Arizona’s duly elected officials to make budget decisions for this state,” said the governor’s spokesman.

Via chrisgeidner:

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) is asking to go back to the Supreme Court.

In a July 2 filing noted on the Supreme Court docket, lawyers for the governor have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse a September 2011 decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit that had the effect of keeping same-sex partners’ health-care benefits in place in the state.

After the 2011 decision, lawyers for the state asked the Ninth Circuit to re-hear the case en banc, or by an 11-judge panel. On April 3, the Ninth Circuit denied the request, starting the 90-day clock for the governor to file a petition for a writ of certiorari asking the Supreme Court to take the case. 

The Ninth Circuit ruling, which upheld a trial-court ruling, kept an Arizona law from going into effect that, as the appeals court held, “would have terminated eligibility for health-care benefits of state employees’ same-sex partners.”

Paula S. Bickett, the chief counsel for Civil Appeals in Arizona Attorney General’s Tom Horne (R)’s office, is the counsel of record for the Gov. Brewer. Lambda Legal is representing the plaintiff couples, who have until August 6 to submit their response to the governor’s petition.

The case, Brewer v. Diaz, is No. 12-23 on the Supreme Court docket.

In addition to this case, the Department of Justice on July 3 asked that multiple challenges to the federal definition of marriage contained in the Defense of Marriage Act be heard by the Supreme Court. Additionally, a filing to request Supreme Court review of the Ninth Circuit’s decision striking down California’s Proposition 8 also is expected in the coming months.

Jan Brewer: Birther Issue Leading Country ‘Down A Path Of Destruction’

Brewer Backs Anti–Gay Adoption Bill

The Advocate reports:

Arizona governor Jan Brewer signed a bill Monday mandating that married heterosexual couples be given priority consideration when agencies are placing children for adoption or foster care.

Brewer signed the bill despite 500 postcards being sent to her office, from supporters of Equality Arizona asking her to veto the bill. 

Tom Mann, board chairman for Equality Arizona, criticized the governor in a statement Monday. 

“The governor’s action today is harmful to children in foster care and group homes who are seeking a permanent home and the support of a loving, caring family,” Mann said. “SB 1188 takes the focus off of what’s in the best interest of a child when adoption decisions should be made on a case-by-case basis, according to what’s in a child’s best interest. Each case is unique. For example, adoption authorities may have the choice between placing a child with a beloved single aunt — or complete strangers. The only consideration should be determining what’s in the best interest of the child.”

ARIZONA: Federal Appeals Court Blocks Gov. Jan Brewer’s Anti-Immigrant Law

Joe.My.God. reports:

Today the Ninth Circuit Court of appeals upheld a lower court’s ruling that Arizona does not have the right to create its own laws on immigration.

The original law was enacted in April 2010 after Arizona officials argued that they needed their own immigration law to deal with the growing problem of unauthorized immigration from across the Mexican border. In general, the law establishes a variety of immigration-related actions as state offenses and defines what local and state officials can do to enforce the new law. The law immediately sparked boycotts and protests across the nation as immigration activists argued that Arizona was trying to usurp a federal prerogative to define immigration rules and had proposed unconstitutional actions, including profiling. The law also required police to check immigration status when enforcing other laws. The Obama administration’s Justice Department sued to block the law from going into effect. It argued that the federal government had the responsibility for immigration law.

Among the now-banned policies put forth by Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer was an instruction to the police that they were to stop and demand the papers of anybody they “reasonably suspected” of being in the country illegally.

It was about time that the Courts put this redneck on her place. 

Sarah Palin: Jan Brewer Has The Cojones That Obama Should Have On Immigration

I’ll tell y’all, Americans are building a wall in the wrong border. Just send that bitch back to the capital of Crystal Meth in Alaska, where she belongs (and never should have left). 

I can’t believe that politicians like her are still voted for in America.

The Advocate:

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer couldn’t seem to get it together Wednesday night in the opening statement of her televised debate last night. Whether it was stage fright or a lack of preparation, the governor behind the state’s controversial new immigration law couldn’t seem to find the words to say… well, much of anything.