Senator John McCain calls on Arizona Governor to veto 'discrimination bill'

Today, GOP Senator John McCain joined a group of Arizona politicians who are urging their Governor, Jan Brewer, to veto Senate Bill 1062.

The bill, passed by a Republican-led state legislature, allows for legally sanctioned discrimination. It has been named the “Religious Freedom Restoration Act”. Arizona Senator Jeff Flake, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Representative Ron Barber have all previously asked Brewer to veto the bill.

The fallout from SB 1062 has been swift with one legislator who voted for the bill admitting to the Arizona Capital Times “I screwed up.” Sen. Steve Pierce, R-Prescott, told Capitol Media Services Sunday he now thinks the legislation, billed as providing protections for those of faith, is a bad idea. “I’m trying to make it right” he told Capitol Media Services.

And, according to Kristin Jarnagin, vice president of the Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association, just the fact that the Legislature approved the measure has resulted in cancelled trips. “We have already lost untold amounts of tax dollars due to the negative perception that this legislation attaches to our state’s image, and the bill hasn’t even been signed into law yet,” she told the Arizona Capital Times.

“We literally begged lawmakers to consider the unintended consequences not only on our tourism industry but on our ability to attract new businesses and jobs to our state,” she said. “Unfortunately, those pleas fell on deaf ears.”

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