Governor Jan Brewer will appear on CNN tonight and give her explanation of the allegation that she was drunk when she crashed into the back of a mini-van in 1988. According to Jan, the news that she apparently got away with a DUI is the result of one thing: "Silly season."
If you're unfamiliar with the incident -- and the four field-sobriety tests Brewer failed miserably -- we got the police report. Check it out here.
Brewer feels that the only reason her wild ride is being brought up is because the election is just a few days away, and people are trying to get in their last licks before voters head to the polls.
"It's interesting that so much stuff rises to the top for whatever the reasons, but yeah it's the silly season, I think people are digging and trying to discredit different candidates, not only here in Arizona but certainly across Arizona," Brewer told CNN's John King in an interview set to air tonight.
As we pointed out yesterday, she's probably right about the timing of the allegation, but "silly season," or not, to write the story off as little more than a campaign gimmick is BS for a number of reason.
For starters, Brewer was never charged -- she never was even given a breathalyzer because she was a state senator at the time and was immune from prosecution. If your average citizen was acting the way the police report describes Brewer as acting after the wreck, they'd definitely be given a breathalyzer and probably receive an invite to spend some in Joe Arpaio's tents.
Not to mention, Brewer has a well-documented record of trying to throw the book at anyone convicted of a DUI.
From the Arizona Republic:
In the years since the crash, Brewer has acted repeatedly to increase penalties for DUI offenders.
As a state senator in 1990, she voted for House Bill 2433, which, among other provisions, required that drivers who were found to be under the influence have their licenses revoked. In 1993, she voted for House Bill 1003, which increased the minimum jail sentence for a first offense from 24 hours to 10 days.
This year, as governor, she signed Senate Bill 1420. The bill significantly increases penalties for juveniles who violate DUI laws.
The Republic didn't even mention Brewer's "Drive Hammered, Get Nailed" program, about which her administration frequently boasts.
It's not "silly season" that makes the story news, Jan -- it's hypocrisy.
