Diamondbacks owner threatened former Arizona GA over Twitter criticism

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After former Arizona attorney general Grant Woods criticized him on Twitter, Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick allegedly sent Woods a threatening email in response, according to The Athletic’s Zach Buchanan.

Woods provided The Athletic with an email he received from Kendrick in which he called Woods an “arrogant asshole” and said Woods should expect “a very unfortunate outcome” if the two were to meet. in person.

Woods previously worked for the Phoenix law firm Gallagher & Kennedy and was fired this year. He says Kendrick’s email was sent before his layoff, and was also sent to G&K managing partner Dean Short and board member Tim Brown.

Buchanan reports that Short denied that Kendrick pressured the company to fire Woods, but that Woods’ critical tweet “denigrating one of the company’s most valuable clients was the catalyst for Grant’s dismissal from the society”.

G&K has been general counsel for the Diamondbacks since the club was formed in 1995.

Following the team’s June 17 loss to the Giants – their 14th straight loss at the time and MLB’s record 23rd in a row road loss – Woods tweeted that Kendrick should sell the team, calling their play a bad game of “insulting the fans”.

“Ken Kendrick’s reaction to the tweet had no bearing on the decision to terminate Grant,” Short said, per Buchanan. “Also, at no time did Mr. Kendrick or anyone else at the request of the Diamondbacks even suggest to me or anyone else at Gallagher & Kennedy that Grant be terminated.

Woods, who is a Diamondbacks season pass holder, said Short expressed his disappointment in the tweet on June 19, the same day he received Kendrick’s email.

“Dean Short emailed your comments to the Republic of AZ regarding the Dbacks and me,” Kendrick’s email read, according to Buchanan. “Of course, I do not subscribe to this post and have no respect for you and your selfish public statements. However, my reaction to your comments is that you are an arrogant asshole! A truly toxic combination. It is sad that G&K, a quality law firm, has hired you. I suggest that if our paths ever cross, which I hope they don’t, you should expect a very unfortunate outcome. “

Woods says he did not respond to the email, but received a note from Short shortly after that the situation was “beyond repair and we are going to have to go our separate ways.”

Woods says the threat of a “very unfortunate outcome” meets the legal definition of “threatening and intimidating” under Arizona law, but says he has no plans to prosecute Kendrick. He said he was surprised that what he considered a slight criticism had aroused such anger from a team owner.

“The idea that myself or someone else can’t comment on this without being threatened or without the owner trying to hurt you personally in some way is quite outrageous, seems to me. does he, “said Woods. “As a former public servant and a public figure, people take photos all the time. It’s like that. You have to take care of it. “

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