protesting had catapulted this bill and the state into the national spotlight. we did this! we did this! the decision came as opsigss reached a fever pitch. with some of the nation s most prominent lawmakers and business leaders joining the fight. the nfl was watching closely and the arizona super bowl host committee for 2015 expressed concerns. she didn t want to be known as the governor who lost the super bowl. but not everyone was happy with the decision, including former state senator russell pierce, the sponsor of the controversial immigration law that passed in 2010. i will not retreat because some radical leftist activists don t like how we do things in arizona. the governor answering her critics with a call for unity. going forward, let s turn the ugliness of the debate over senate bill 1062 into a renewed search for greater respect and understanding among all arizo n arizonans and americans.
that would bolster the rights of business owners based on their religious beliefs to deny service to gays and lesbians. nbc news is reporting she is likely to veto the measure. however, that s according to three people close to her in our reporting. the bill was passed last week by the state legislature, even though three republicans who backed it now say they ve changed their minds. it is strongly opposed by many of the state s business community, of course, who are worried about an economic backlash. according to talking points memo, every major state business group, including the arizona chamber of commerce and industry have urged governor brewer to veto the bill. so have a number of major corporations including apple, american airlines, and marriott, the hotel chain. the arizona super bowl host committee also is opposed to the bill. in addition to the state s two u.s. republican senators john mccain and jeff flake have publicly said the governor should veto. here was mccain earlier
business owners based on their religious beliefs to deny service to gays and lesbians. nbc news is reporting she is likely to veto the measure. however, that s according to three people close to her in our reporting. the bill was passed last week by the state legislature, even though three republicans who backed it now say they ve changed their minds. it is strongly opposed by many of the state s business community, of course, who are worried about an economic backlash. according to talking points memo, every major state business group, including the arizona chamber of commerce and industry have urged governor brewer to veto the bill. so have a number of major corporations including apple, american airlines, and marriott, the hotel chain. the arizona super bowl host committee also is opposed to the bill. in addition to the state s two u.s. republican senators john mccain and jeff flake have publicly said the governor should veto. here was mccain earlier today on that point. most impo
i m going to read it and i m going to be briefed on it. we have been following it, and i will make my decision in the near future. i have until friday or saturday morning to determine that. what does the governor need to determine? again, it would legalize discrimination. there is a growing list against it. the arizona super bowl host committee businesses like marriott, american airlines, and apple, other business groups, tourism associations, even three republican state senators who voted for it. arizona republican senator jeff flake tweeted yesterday, quote, saw governor brewer in washington tonight. encouraged her personally to veto the bill. and here is senator john mccain. this is not the message we want to send. i hope the governor will veto it and we will move on and advertise the great beauty of our state. so what was that governor
and organizations protection from lawsuits should they choose not to do business with someone because it conflicts with their religious beliefs. opponents say the bill opens the door for discrimination, especially against gays and lesbians, because they are not a protected class here in arizona. democrats at the state capital and gay rights groups are the first to speak out against this bill and then came the major business groups like the arizona chamber of commerce. we learned that governor brewer has had conversations with apple executives. that s important to mention, because apple is building a massive factory here in the phoenix area and executives have urged her to veto this legislation. the host committee for the 2015 arizona super bowl has come out against this bill. they re afraid of boycotts and possibly losing the super bowl if she signs this bill. we know the governor is on her way back from washington, d.c. she s expected to have a day s worth of meetings tomorrow before