Peoria Mayor

The five candidates on the primary ballot to succeed outgoing Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis say they want to lead the city through its current challenges and into the future.

The Grandmother of the 26 year-old man busted for marijuana possession when the Peoria Police raided his home for a mayoral parody twitter account spoke Tuesday night at the City Council Meeting.

The City of Peoria continues to feel the effects of a First Amendment backlash. That’s a week after the raid of a Peoria home where a parody twitter account about the mayor originated.  But is it a matter of free speech? Or is it a matter of false representation of the Peoria Mayor with intent to injure?

Free speech in a parody or impersonating an elected official?  The twitter account @Peoriamayor was intended to be a parody. When it was up in March it wasn't fully distinguished in such a way. It had about 50 followers though likely more people were viewing it.  But last week the Peoria Police executed a search warrant on the residents of the person or persons thought to be responsible for the account. The whole matter has sparked a widespread response. Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis joins us for this Outside the Horseshoe to talk about the matter.   

  The Peoria City Council has an open at-large seat to fill with the death last month of Gary Sandberg. The need to fill the remainder of Sandberg’s seat comes at the same time city government is facing some allegations of policy misconduct in the police department. Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis is our guest to talk about these matters. That is this episode of OUTSIDE THE HORSESHOE. Join us the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month on 89.9fm for OUTSIDE THE HORSESHOE that airs immediately before our live broadcast of the Peoria City Council meetings.