- Local
- Community
- Journalism
Support the independent voice of Phoenix and help keep the future of New Times free.
Does Sheriff Joe Arpaio really think it's unnecessary to debate his opponent, Paul Penzone, or is the Sheriff...chicken?
According to Randy Parraz and Citizens for Better Arizona members who brought live chickens to Arpaio's office on the 19th floor of the Wells Fargo Building in Phoenix, the Sheriff's chicken.
Arpaio says all the voters already know what his deal is as Sheriff, so there's no reason for a debate.
Parraz says it's because the Sheriff's afraid of his record, and brought the chickens along to prove a point.
"If he's going to act chicken about running against Paul Penzone...then he should hang out with the chickens," he said.
Unfortunately, Arpaio was on his way out of the Wells Fargo Building as Parraz and CBA members -- concealing the chickens in cardboard file boxes -- were on their way in.
Parraz said that the "chicken Arpaio" campaign is something that will go on until the election, though, so Arpaio's bound to find out at some point.
He added that they're using a little humor -- which, in addition to the live chickens, included the "Chicken Dance" and Arpaio's face fashioned like a chicken -- but they're also trying to make a "very profound point."
Debating is one of the fundamentals of democracy, he explained, and if Arpaio's happy about his "birther" investigation and his office's sex-crimes debacle, then he should defend it in a debate.
Until then, Arpaio's chicken.
Keep Phoenix New Times Free... Since we started Phoenix New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Phoenix, and we would like to keep it that way. Offering our readers free access to incisive coverage of local news, food and culture. Producing stories on everything from political scandals to the hottest new bands, with gutsy reporting, stylish writing, and staffers who've won everything from the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi feature-writing award to the Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism. But with local journalism's existence under siege and advertising revenue setbacks having a larger impact, it is important now more than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. You can help by participating in our "I Support" membership program, allowing us to keep covering Phoenix with no paywalls.