A fight is developing over the unilateral decision by Gov. Jan Brewer to cancel next month's meeting of 10 border governors, which had been scheduled for Arizona.
The governors of two other U.S. states say they want the annual meeting to go on, but not in Arizona. Aides to both Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democrat Bill Richardson said the conferences are too important to let slide because of the political fallout from Arizona's adoption of a tough new law aimed at illegal immigrants.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry was somewhat less committal, saying through press aide Katherine Cesinger he would be willing to attend a relocated border governor's conference.
The move left Brewer disappointed.
"I would have liked to believe that they would have shown support for the governor of Arizona and for the people of Arizona," Brewer told Capitol Media Services.
.......Richardson was the first to step into the fray by proposing the conference be moved. He said Brewer doesn't have the authority to pull the plug on the conference.
"She may not want to host it for political reasons," said Richardson press coordinator Caitlin Kelleher.
"But that s not a reason to sidestep the tough issues that border governors must address, including migration and border violence," Kelleher continued. She said Richardson "will look for alternative sites to host the conference, with or without Arizona s participation."
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