Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is calling for the chairman of the Arkansas Board of Corrections to resign. This follows a dispute over the lack of prison space.Chairman Benny Magness asked the governor to send the National Guard to help staff prisons. She denied that request and said the chairman is playing politics and should resign.Back in November, the governor asked the Board of Corrections to approve an additional 500 beds in Arkansas prisons. Magness said the requests were denied since there were not enough prison guards due to staff shortages. After that, the Board of Corrections suspended Arkansas Corrections Secretary Joe Profiri. Now, that decision is headed to court. On Wednesday, Magness asked the governor to send 138 National Guard members to work in security positions at state prisons. They would not have dealt with prisoners but worked in the guard towers and secure entrances to certified prison guards who could handle more inmates. Sanders denied that request. She said Profiri had a plan to reopen prison beds without the need for more guards. “I will not inject our guardsmen and women into a purely political situation caused by the very person requesting them,” Sanders wrote.Sanders also called for Magness to resign. She said the board is “incapable of rational, reasonable, or fiscally responsible decision-making” under his leadership. 40/29 News has been unable to reach Magness for comment.
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is calling for the chairman of the Arkansas Board of Corrections to resign. This follows a dispute over the lack of prison space.
Chairman Benny Magness asked the governor to send the National Guard to help staff prisons. She denied that request and said the chairman is playing politics and should resign.
Back in November, the governor asked the Board of Corrections to approve an additional 500 beds in Arkansas prisons. Magness said the requests were denied since there were not enough prison guards due to staff shortages.
After that, the Board of Corrections suspended Arkansas Corrections Secretary Joe Profiri. Now, that decision is headed to court.
On Wednesday, Magness asked the governor to send 138 National Guard members to work in security positions at state prisons. They would not have dealt with prisoners but worked in the guard towers and secure entrances to certified prison guards who could handle more inmates.
Sanders denied that request. She said Profiri had a plan to reopen prison beds without the need for more guards.
“I will not inject our guardsmen and women into a purely political situation caused by the very person requesting them,” Sanders wrote.
Sanders also called for Magness to resign. She said the board is “incapable of rational, reasonable, or fiscally responsible decision-making” under his leadership.
40/29 News has been unable to reach Magness for comment.
