Ariz. to Pay Mecham’s Legal Fees

The Arizona state Senate voted today to pay former Gov. Evan Mecham’s $202,433 in legal fees for the impeachment trial that removed him from office.

The vote was 16 to 13 to grant defense attorney Jerris Leonard’s request that the Senate begin a “healing process” by paying the defense fees. “This has been an agony,” Leonard said. “I think it’s the right thing to do . . . to show that this body not only has class, but it has heart, it has compassion.” Republican Sen. Greg Lunn agreed, saying it would be a “magnanimous gesture.”