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Arizona vets director asks Brewer for job back - The ex-director of Arizona's Department of Veterans' Services has sent a letter to Gov. Jan Brewer asking to rescind his resignation, but the governor's office says that won't happen.
Director Joey Strickland was forced to resign Tuesday after the governor's office learned he had hired a former Arizona state representative he had previously been ordered not to employ. Former Rep. Terri Proud also lost her state job after questioning female troops' ability to serve in combat in an interview with a news reporter.
In a letter released by Brewer's office Thursday, Strickland says he was told not to hire Proud almost a year ago when she was in the Legislature because hiring a sitting lawmaker appeared to be improper.
"I was never told not to hire her in the future," Strickland wrote in the letter dated Wednesday. He said he was forced to resign by Brewer's chief of staff on "a trumped up allegation" that he disobeyed an order.
Brewer spokesman Matthew Benson said the resignation is final.
"We are moving forward in seeking a permanent replacement to lead the Department of Veterans' Services," he said.
For her part, Proud said in a statement sent to media organizations late Wednesday that Brewer shouldn't have forced Strickland to resign.
"If the Governor has it out for me, or has something against former legislators finding jobs, then I was not aware of it until now," Proud said in a statement. "Strickland should not have been removed, Brewer overreacted."