The Nation - News from April 5, 1989

Former Arizona Gov. Evan Mecham said he has filed papers asking the Legislature to reconsider the votes by which it impeached and ousted him one year ago for misusing state money and obstructing justice. John Mawhinney (R-Tucson), the Senate’s majority leader, said he doubted lawmakers would grant the motion. In legal papers filed with the Senate, attorneys for Mecham asked that his Senate Court of Impeachment convictions be dismissed and that a new trial be held. Mecham’s lawyers claimed the Legislature trampled on the rights of voters by ousting the governor under rules of procedure that were not as stringent as rules in criminal trials. They also said some senators showed bias in pretrial statements.x