Democrats on the Pima County Board of Supervisors deserve to be put in front of a "firing squad" for treason, a man said in a tense exchange at the board meeting this week.
Doyle Taraba made the comment during the meeting's call to the audience.
A resident according to his speaker’s card, said that the Democrat supervisors "should" face a firing squad during the Call to the Audience portion of Tuesday's meeting.
“For what you do from there,” Taraba told Democrats on the board as he referred to the dais, “you should be facing a firing squad.” He also accused Democrats on the board of treason.
The exchange prompted Supervisor Sylvia Lee to ask county administrator Jan Lesher and the Pima County Attorney's Office to "get an opinion" on what Taraba said, as she "felt very threatened."
The Board of Supervisors responds to the call to audience at Tuesday's meeting.
Taraba declined to talk to the Star Thursday about his comments.
Two different immigration-related items were on Tuesday's agenda: A $30,000 contract for Humane Border for “water distribution services" in remote desert areas along the U.S.- Mexico border; and whether to seek more federal funds to help cover the cost of processing asylum seekers here.
His comments drew an instant, visible reaction from Chair Adelita Grijalva.
"We might have many differences in opinion," Grijalva said later to the audience, "(But) I don't want any of us to feel threated."
The Board of Supervisors responds to the call to audience at Tuesday's meeting
Grijalva was the first to leave the room after calling a recess for several minutes.
