Otter Now Sides w/Arizona Law

Gov. Butch Otter has changed his tone about Arizona’s controversial immigration law. Today, he announced that Idaho has filed a “friend of the court” brief backing Arizona in its defense of the law. “State officials have the right under existing federal law to identify illegal aliens and report them to federal authorities,” Otter said today. “It’s our affirmative duty to protect states’ rights, and that’s particularly important when a lawsuit seeks to punish a state for doing what the federal government has failed to do – protect our borders and American citizens.” In May, Otter criticized Congress for failing to resolve the immigration crisis, but questioned whether police officers could enforce the Arizona law without violating civil liberties. “It would take a person, I suspect, bigger than I not to immediately begin to profile”/ Kevin Richert , Idaho Statesman. More here . (AP file photo of supporter at pro-Arizona immigration law in Phoenix earllier this summer)

Question: Is Otter playing politics, attempting to tap into the deep-seated concern among Idahoans re: illegal immigration? Or has he had a change of heart?