Brewer defends lawmakers' free trips from ALEC: "It's work" and AZ doesn't have "that kind of money"

[highplainsdem]

Awwww.... It's nice to know ALEC's corporate members are there to help those hardworking, cash-strapped state legislators...

http://www.yumasun.com/news/phoenix-70011-trips-brewer.html

Brewer: Gifts, trips should be disclosed, but not illegal
May 17, 2011 7:35 PM
BY HOWARD FISCHER - CAPITOL MEDIA SERVICES

-snip-

For example, the American Legislative Exchange Council, financed largely by business interests, provides “scholarships” for lawmakers to attend its annual conference to hear ideas about legislation the group’s members would like approved in each state.

-snip-

“I know that when you sit out and you look at it, it looks like everybody is just out there getting things for nothing,” Brewer said. “But it’s work, it is work, for all of those elected officials that participate.”

The governor brushed aside a question of why travel on behalf of the state is being paid for by special interests.

“A lot of time (that happens) because the state can’t afford to pay for it,” Brewer said. “We simply have never had that kind of money to travel.”

-snip-

Arizona's House Speaker, Republican Andy Tobin, agreed with Brewer and said that the state is "broke" so "it’s more appropriate we have the private sector help fund a lot of these events."

According to the article, Tobin also specifically defended the ALEC trips and said they should be considered state business.

Senate President Russell Pearce, whose infamous immigration bill came out of an ALEC conference with Corrections Corporation of America representatives, also defended the trips. No surprise there...

[midnight]

1. Brewer doesn't know how to work within a budget.. Another reason for her not to hold this position..

[highplainsdem]

2. True.