Governor Joins Protest Against WPRO's John DePetro

DePetro

The union coalition pushing to have JOHN DEPETRO fired by CUMULUS Talk WPRO-A-WEAN/PROVIDENCE has lined up support from some political leaders who have felt the wrath of the talk show host, including Governor LINCOLN CHAFEE, reports the PROVIDENCE JOURNAL.

The paper confirmed with CHAFEE spokeswoman CHRISTINE HUNSINGER that the Governor will not go on any WPRO show as long as DEPETRO works there, and PROVIDENCE Mayor ANGEL TAVARES and General Treasurer GINA RAIMONDO also have taken the same position, joining the union movement called "FOR OUR DAUGHTERS RI."  In addition, HUNSINGER confirmed that the Governor has signed a petition urging locally-based jewelry company ALEX AND ANI to pull its advertising from WPRO; she denied that CHAFEE was motivated by DEPETRO's criticism of him as "Governor Gump," calling it "about hate speech."

The Governor is joining forces with those attempting to suppress the free speech of a radio talk show.

DEPETRO landed in hot water with the union after criticizing a public employee protest of pension reform outside a RAIMONDO fundraiser and calling the protestors "union hags" and spelling out the word "whores" to describe them.  The union characterized the comments as anti-women, and DEPETRO has since apologized for his choice of words.  His lawyer TIM DODD told the JOURNAL that "It is no surprise that certain union activists, now joined by the Governor, simply want a critic with a microphone and an audience to be silenced.  The Governor is joining forces with those attempting to suppress the free speech of a radio talk show.”

« see more Net News