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Immigrant Rights Groups Subpoena Gov. Brewer For Documents Used To Write Her Book

Arizonans may get a chance to see who provided Gov. Jan Brewer some of the information for her book, and what they told her. The 2011 book "Scorpions for Breakfast" focused largely on Brewer’s decision to sign SB 1070.

The Supreme Court, which has voided most of that law, has upheld the provision requiring police to question those they have stopped for other violations, about their immigration status, if they believe they’re in the country illegally.

Victor Viramontes, of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund says the documents Brewer considered in signing SB 1070 are relevant in determining if the law was racially motivated.

“The book is primarily if not exclusively about SB 1070. And so that's why the scope of the subpoena asks for the documents related to the book. Because the book is the topic of the challenge, SB 1070,” Viramontes said.

Omar Jadwat of the American Civil Liberties Union says proving racial motivation would involve looking at a lot of evidence.

“It's a question of is there sufficient evidence to show that there was an improper motivation behind the passage of the law, a discriminatory intent behind the passage of the law,” Jadwat said.

Jadwat says that goes beyond what the governor wrote. A spokesman for the governor had no comment, saying the matter has been referred to the governor’s lawyers.