Border-area officials walk out of talks with GOP

By Howard Fischer
CAPITOL MEDIA SERVICES

PHOENIX — Southern Arizona officials stormed out of a meeting with top legislative Republicans Thursday after they said House Speaker Jim Weiers insulted them. Weiers said the insult was the other way around, calling the officials "politically stupid."

The walkout ended pleas by mayors, county supervisors, sheriffs, county attorneys and police chiefs to be be consulted as GOP leaders write a comprehensive border security measure. They want lawmakers to drop plans to make it a state crime to be in this country in violation of federal immigration law.

Both Weiers and Senate President Ken Bennett said the provision may remain a part of the package, though Bennett said the concerns of the border-area elected officials have some merit.

The abrupt end to the talks, after about 10 minutes of what was supposed to be an hourlong meeting, left both sides bitter.

"He's very pompous, very arrogant," Douglas Mayor Ray Borane said of Weiers.

Weiers, in turn, said it was "politically stupid" for the officials to first have a press conference "and take shots at the very people they were down here to talk to."

Both sides agree it was Weiers "stupid" comment to the officials, particularly Borane, who organized the press conference, that brought the meeting to a close.