Audio By Carbonatix
Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon says America’s self-proclaimed “toughest sheriff” has agreed to keep his chain gangs away from the Major League Baseball All-Star Game tomorrow night at Chase Field.
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, you may recall, said last month he planned to roll out the chain gang in response to anti-SB 1070 protesters expected at the game.
Now, it appears, he’s backing down.
Gordon appeared on National Public Radio’s Tell Me More this morning
and told host Michel Martin: “Our chief of police spoke to the assistant
sheriff last night and the sheriff through his assistant chief
acknowledged what he will do, if he does anything with chain gangs, will
be do it away from the heart of the baseball game and downtown and do
his own thing away where it will be safe and really not take away from
the great All-Star game that is here.”
Listen to Gordon call the sheriff’s chain gangs “unconscionable” here.
Last month, Arpaio said “If [protesters] can be [at the game], why can’t my female chain gang be there as a public service?”
Read about Arpaio’s All-Star chain gang/publicity stunt here.
Arpaio announced earlier today that he would be making a “major
announcement” concerning the use of his DUI/illegal immigration chain
gang during the All-Star Game later this afternoon.
Is Arpaio backing down to Gordon? Check back to Valley Fever following his “major announcement” to find out.
