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Jan Brewer

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Jan Brewer
Jan Brewer in the Oval Office of the White House on June 3, 2010.
22nd Governor of Arizona
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 21, 2009
Preceded byJanet Napolitano
18th Secretary of State of Arizona
In office
January 7, 2003 – January 21, 2009
GovernorJanet Napolitano
Preceded byBetsey Bayless
Succeeded byKen Bennett
Chairman of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors
In office
1996 – January 7, 2003
Preceded byEd King
Succeeded byMax Wilson
Member of the Arizona Senate
from the 19th district
In office
January 6, 1987 – 1996
Preceded byWilliam Davis
Succeeded byScott Bundgaard
Member of the
Arizona House of Representatives
from the 19th district
In office
January 3, 1983 – January 6, 1987
Preceded byJane Dee Hull
Succeeded byDon Kenney
Personal details
Born
Janice Kay

(1944-09-26) September 26, 1944 (age 80)
Hollywood, California
Political partyRepublican
SpouseJohn Brewer
ResidenceGlendale, Arizona
Alma materGlendale Community College[1]
ProfessionPolitician, Radiologic technician
Signature
Websiteazgovernor.gov

Janice Kay "Jan" Brewer (née Drinkwine; September 26, 1944) is the 22nd and current Governor of the U.S. state of Arizona and a member of the Republican Party. She is the fourth woman, and third consecutive woman, to hold the office. Brewer previously served as Secretary of State of Arizona, from January 2003 until then-Governor Janet Napolitano resigned after being selected as Secretary of Homeland Security in January 2009. Brewer became Governor of Arizona as part of the line of succession, as determined by the Arizona constitution.

Born in California, Brewer is a graduate of Glendale Community College. She has served as a State Senator and State Representative for Arizona, from 1983 to 1996. Brewer also served as Chairman of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, before running for Arizona Secretary of State in 2002.

Brewer came into the national spotlight when, on April 23, 2010, she signed the controversial Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act. The act makes it a state misdemeanor crime for an alien to be in Arizona without carrying registration documents required by federal law, authorizes state and local law enforcement of federal immigration laws, and cracks down on those sheltering, hiring and transporting illegal aliens.[3] Brewer is seeking a full term as Governor of Arizona in the 2010 Arizona gubernatorial election.

Early life

Brewer was born on September 26, 1944 in Hollywood, California, to Edna C. Drinkwine (née Bakken) and Perry Wilford Drinkwine, a civilian supervisor at the Hawthorne Army Depot in Hawthorne, Nevada.[4][2] Brewer and her older brother, Paul, lived solely in Hawthorne until she was ten years old.[2] Perry died of lung disease when she was eleven years old, having been ravaged by the constant exposure to chemicals while at the depot. Shortly before her father's death, the family moved to California, seeking "dry desert air and clean ocean breezes."[2]

She married John Leon Brewer in Nevada, and worked briefly in Glendale, California before moving to her husband's hometown of Phoenix, Arizona in 1970. The couple later relocated to Glendale, Arizona, where John became a successful chiropractor, in addition to finding some real estate success. Settling in Deer Valley, the couple have three children.[2]

Political career

State legislature

Going on to become interested in her children's education, Brewer began attending schoolboard meetings in 1981, and quickly became "unimpressed" by the board's performance.[2] Intending to run for a seat on the board, Brewer soon saw an opening in her local legislative district, and decided to run for State Representative. Brewer would go on to serve in the Arizona House of Representatives for three years, from 1983 to 1987, before deciding to run for the Arizona Senate, where she would serve from 1987 to 1996. As State Senator, Brewer sought legislation with the intention of creating an office of Lieutenant Governor in the state, arguing that holding the office of Secretary of State does not make a candidate qualified for Governor, and that the office should be filled by a member of the same party, should a vacancy arise.[2] During her last three years as a State Senator, she held the senior leadership position of majority whip.[2]

In 1996, Brewer ran for chairman of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, defeating incumbent Ed King, and would serve for six years on the board. She inherited a debt of $165 million, and by the end of Brewer’s tenure in 2002, she left Maricopa County in one of the strongest financial positions of any county in the nation.[2] Governing Magazine proclaimed the County as "one of the two best managed large counties in the nation."[5]

Secretary of State of Arizona

In early 2002, Brewer created a campaign committee to run for the office of Secretary of State of Arizona, to replace outgoing Arizona Secretary of State Betsey Bayless. Brewer faced a tough primary race against Phoenix Councilman Sal DiCiccio, who attempted to highlight her tenure as a county supervisor by accusing her of raising taxes, after the county had reported an increase in revenue.[2] Brewer responded to the criticism by proclaiming that she had voted to lower the tax rate, and that the county had collected more revenue because of an increase in property valuations. Brewer ultimately won the primary race against DiCiccio. In the general election, she faced Democratic State Senator Chris Cummiskey and Libertarian candidate Sean Nottingham. During the campaign, she fought on a largely conservative, pro-life rights platform, winning by a narrow margin of just 23,000 votes.[2]

As Secretary of State, Brewer instituted a vote-by-fax program for overseas military troops, which would later be adopted by other municipalities, including San Francisco. Brewer also helped marshal changes brought about by Arizona Proposition 200, which required citizens in the state to show proof of citizenship before registering to vote or applying for public benefits.[2]

Governor of Arizona

As Secretary of State, Brewer was the first in line to succeed then-Governor Janet Napolitano, after Napolitano was selected by President Barack Obama to serve as the Secretary of Homeland Security of the United States in the United States Cabinet. Brewer was then sworn in as Governor, despite her earlier quarrels with the line of succession while serving in the State Senate, after Napolitano resigned from her position on January 21, 2009. She is Arizona's fourth female governor and its third consecutive female governor.[2]

In her inaugural address, Brewer promised to keep taxes low in Arizona, in an attempt to attract business from other states, including California. Fewer than two months into her term, however, Brewer proposed a tax increase in front of the State Legislature, causing two Republican members to walk out of the address mid-speech. Attempting to rationalize the tax increase, Brewer stated that she was ultimately forced to ask for the increase due to the state's $4 billion state budget deficit.[2]

Governor Jan Brewer meeting with President Barack Obama in June 2010.

On April 23, 2010, Brewer signed the Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act, otherwise known as Arizona SB1070, into law, making it "a state crime for illegal immigrants to not have an alien registration document," and requiring police "to question people about their immigration status if there is reason." It also makes it illegal for people to hire illegal immigrants for day labor or to knowingly transport them. In addition, it provides provisions to allow citizens to file lawsuits against government agencies that hinder enforcement of immigration laws.[6] A follow-on bill, said to address certain "racial profiling" issues with the original bill, was passed by the Arizona legislature just before ending their 2010 session, and was signed by Brewer on April 30, 2010.[7] Signing of the bill has led to massive demonstrations in Arizona, Washington, D.C. and many other cities across the United States, both for and against the legislation.[8]

On June 3, 2010, Jan Brewer met with President Barack Obama to discuss immigration along Mexico's border with Arizona, and how the federal government could work together with state officials to combat violence there. Brewer remarked after the meeting, "I am encouraged that there is going to be much better dialogue between the federal government and the state of Arizona now."[9] According to press reports, about 1200 national guard troops will be stationed at along the border, in a layout still to be determined.[10]

Brewer is currently running for re-election to the office of Governor of Arizona, seeking a full term, in the state's 2010 gubernatorial election. She will likely face Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard in the general election. Polling conducted after Brewer's signing of Arizona SB1070 has shown her as an early favorite in both the Republican primary, which is scheduled to take place on August 24, 2010, and the general election.[11] Should she win a full term, she will have to leave office in 2015; the Arizona Constitution limits governors to a total of eight years in office.

Political views

Budget

Recently she has advocated a raise in Arizona's sales tax from 5.6% to 6.6%. The proposal is intended to raise 1 billion dollars a year in order to pay off the 3 billion dollar deficit.[12]

Gun rights

In July 2009, Jan Brewer signed SB 1113, which entitles persons in Arizona to carry concealed guns in bars or restaurants as long as they do not consume alcohol, and the business has not specifically posted a sign in accordance with Arizona law that guns are not to be permitted on the premises.[13] Brewer also signed SB 1168, a measure that bans property owners from prohibiting the storage of firearms in locked vehicles parked on their lots.[14] She signed SB 1243, which allows a person who is threatened to announce they are armed, or display or place their hand on their firearm before the use of deadly force.[15] In April 2010, Brewer signed SB 1108, which removes the licensure requirement for law-abiding citizens who choose to carry a concealed firearm in the state of Arizona -- the third state in the union with such a law after Vermont and Alaska. Brewer is a member and supporter of the National Rifle Association, as well as the Arizona Rifle and Pistol Association.[16]

Healthcare

In the face of a mounting budget crisis in Arizona, Brewer signed the 2011 legislative budget which eliminates the Arizona variant of the State Children's Health Insurance Program program, known as KidsCare, that provides health insurance to uninsured children[17] whose families' income exceeds the Medicaid cutoff.[18] According to the FY 2011 budget, enrollment caps will also be put into place for AHCCCS, thereby limiting access to the program. Brewer, at a press conference, said the state had no choice but to eliminate the free health care programs saying, "We do not have the money [...] We are broke."[19]

In response to passage of Healthcare reform by the United States Congress, Brewer called upon a special state legislative session to join in the class-action lawsuit by 21 state Attorneys General to challenge the constitutionality of the federal individual mandate to purchase health insurance.[20][21]

Immigration and border security

Brewer believes in strict enforcement of border security, with absolutely no amnesty for illegal immigrants entering the United States unlawfully over the Mexico – United States border. As Governor, she has prohibited state and local governments from giving any public benefits to illegal aliens, in addition to making it a misdemeanor for a state or local government official to fail to report immigration law violations discovered while administering a public benefit or service. Brewer has also supported efforts to re-deploy the National Guard of the United States along the southern Arizona border, in an attempt to provide increased border security.[22]

On June 27, 2010, Brewer appeared on "Sunday Square Off" (NBC affiliate Channel 12) speaking on the subject of crime related to illegal immigration, she was quoted as saying that "law enforcement agencies have found bodies in the desert either buried or just lying out there that have been beheaded". A claim that has been disproven. [23][24] Recently in defense of her bill her office produced a commercial featuring a singing frog sock puppet. [25]

LGBT issues

Jan Brewer signed a law repealing legislation put into place by former governor Janet Napolitano, which had granted domestic partners of state employees the ability to be considered as "dependents," similar to the way married spouses are handled.[26]

According to an editorial in the Arizona Daily Star on October 13, 2009, the Department of Administration in Arizona "stated that about 800 state employees are affected and that the cost to insure domestic partners is about $3 million of the $625 million the state spends on benefits."[27] However, the state was giving those employees another year of coverage, due to legal necessity: "A legal review determined existing contracts with state employees will be honored."[27]

A federal lawsuit, Collins v. Brewer, challenging Brewer's action is being heard in federal court. The plaintiffs, represented by Lambda Legal, a LGBT rights advocacy group, asked for summary judgment based on due process and equal protection claims. On July 23, 2010, U.S. District Judge John W. Sedwick denied the due process claim, but based on the equal protection claim he issued a temporary injunction blocking enforcement of the law pending a trial.[28][29]

Controversies

Brewer's signing of Arizona SB 1070 and her position of Governor made her the recipient of much of the bill's criticism. In response to the various personal attacks launched against her, many of which called her a Nazi, she responded: "Knowing that my father died fighting the Nazi regime in Germany, that I lost him when I was 11 because of that . . . and then to have them call me Hitler's daughter. It hurts. It's ugliness beyond anything I've ever experienced." However Brewer's father had died in 1955 (ten years after World War II) from lung cancer, believed to be caused from constant exposure to chemicals while working as a civilian supervisor at the Hawthorne Army Depot in Nevada. Brewer's father never served in the military nor was he overseas during the war. [30]

After saying that "Our law enforcement agencies have found bodies in the desert either buried or just lying out there that have been beheaded," A Fox News team investigated the claim and concluded in the last two years only one human skull had been found and that had been the results of animals. Six medical examiners in Arizona from Yuma, Pima, Santa Cruz, Cochise, Pinal and Maricopa confirmed that they had no records of decapitated bodies. [31][32]

Personal life

Brewer attended Glendale Community College in Glendale, Arizona,[1] receiving a radiological technologist certification.[33]

Brewer and her husband have had three sons, one of whom died of cancer in 2007.[34]

References

  1. ^ a b "GCC AZ: News Service: News Service". Gccaz.edu. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Jan Brewer". WhoRunsGov.com. Retrieved 2010-06-04.
  3. ^ Vaughan, Jessica. "Attrition Through Enforcement: A Cost-Effective Strategy to Shrink the Illegal Population". Center for Immigration Studies. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  4. ^ Daly, Michael (2010-04-27). "Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signs immigration law 124 years after great-grandmother's journey". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2010-06-04.
  5. ^ "About Governor Jan Brewer". Azgovernor.gov. 2009-01-21. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
  6. ^ "Ariz. Lawmakers Pass Controversial Illegal Immigration Bill - Politics News Story - KPHO Phoenix". KPHO. 2010-04-16. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
  7. ^ "Revision to Arizona Law Sets Conditions for Questions by the Police". New York Times. Associated Press. 2010-04-30. Retrieved 2010-06-04.
  8. ^ Hubbard, Jeremy (2010-05-29). "Dueling Protests: Face-Off Over Arizona Immigration Law". ABC News. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  9. ^ Dilanian, Ken (2010-06-03). "Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, Obama discuss illegal immigration". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-06-04.
  10. ^ Jackson, David (2010-06-03). "Obama and Brewer hold Arizona immigration summit". USA Today. Retrieved 2010-06-04.
  11. ^ "Election 2010: Arizona Governor". Rasmussen Repors. 2010-05-21. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  12. ^ "Review & Outlook: Grand Canyon Sales Tax Showdown - WSJ.com". Online.wsj.com. 2010-05-17. Retrieved 2010-07-18.
  13. ^ Benson, Matthew (2009-07-14). "Governor signs bills on guns, abortion". Azcentral.com. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
  14. ^ "Text of SB 1168" (PDF).
  15. ^ "Text of SB 1243" (PDF).
  16. ^ "Protecting Second Amendment Rights". Jan Brewer for Governor. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  17. ^ Sack, Kevin (2010-04-23). "Arizona Drops Children's Health Program". NYTimes.com. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
  18. ^ Beard, Alia (2010-03-20). "Needy Arizona children to lose health care, medicine coverage". Azcentral.com. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
  19. ^ Fischer, Howard (2010-03-24). "Budget cuts 310,000 enrolled in AHCCCS". Douglas Dispatch. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
  20. ^ Ross, Terry (2010-03-27). "Constitutionality of health law is not yet clear". YumaSun. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
  21. ^ Lane, Charles (2010-03-24). "Is health reform unconstitutional? Don't laugh". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
  22. ^ "Stopping Illegal Immigration". Jan Brewer for Governor. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  23. ^ "Human Head Found in Arizona Fuels Political Debate". FOXNews.com. 2010-04-07. Retrieved 2010-07-18.
  24. ^ "Jan Brewer's 'Beheaded' Bodies Claim Disputed By Local Law Enforcement Agencies". Huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2010-07-18.
  25. ^ http://politifi.com/news/New-Brewer-ad-The-fundamentals-684939.html
  26. ^ "Arizona Governor Takes Away State Domestic Partner Benefits Says 'God Has Placed Me in This Powerful Position'". Arizona Daily Star. Towleroad. 2009-09-18. Retrieved 2010-06-04.
  27. ^ a b Pallack, Beck (2009-10-13). "State staff gets year before partners lose benefits". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved 2010-06-04.
  28. ^ Casey Newton (July 23, 2010). "Judge blocks Arizona law on domestic-partner benefits". Arizona Republic. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
  29. ^ Leonard S. Link (July 24, 2010). "Lambda Legal Wins Preliminary Injunction Against Loss of Benefits by Arizona Same-Sex Partners". New York Law School. Retrieved 2010-07-26.
  30. ^ "Brewer tells conflicting stories about dad's war effort". Arizonaguardian.com. 2010-06-01. Retrieved 2010-07-18.
  31. ^ "Human Head Found in Arizona Fuels Political Debate". FOXNews.com. 2010-04-07. Retrieved 2010-07-18.
  32. ^ "Jan Brewer's 'Beheaded' Bodies Claim Disputed By Local Law Enforcement Agencies". Huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2010-07-18.
  33. ^ Archibold, Randal (2010-04-25). "Unexpected Governor Takes an Unwavering Course". New York Times. New York Times. Retrieved 2010-06-04.
  34. ^ "John Samuel Brewer Obituary". The Arizona Republic. 2007-02-01. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
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Template:GovLinks

Political offices
Preceded by Arizona Secretary of State
2003–2009 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Governor of Arizona
2009–Present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Bill Richardson
Governor of New Mexico
 United States order of precedence
(Outside of Arizona) 		Succeeded by
Sean Parnell
Governor of Alaska
Preceded by
Joe Biden
Vice President of the United States
Jill Biden
Second Lady of the United States
 United States order of precedence
(In Arizona) 		Succeeded by
All city mayors in Arizona (if present), followed by
Nancy Pelosi
Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jan_Brewer&oldid=377221703"