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Sanders-McGinty Rally Interfering With Race Benefiting Disabled Children

Bernie Sanders
Bernie Sanders / AP
October 7, 2016

Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I., Vt.) campaign rally Saturday at Scranton High School in Pennsylvania for Hillary Clinton and Senate candidate Katie McGinty is interfering with the "Ryan’s Run" race benefiting disabled children and the Steamtown Marathon Exposition that benefits a local hospital, the Times-Tribune reports.

According to Scranton teachers union president Rosemary Boland, the rally was originally supposed to be held at the city’s Courthouse Square, but she moved it to the high school due to potential inclement weather:

Several other events, including the Steamtown Marathon Race Exposition, WNEP-TV’s Ryan’s Run charity 5K, and a Scranton Prep football game, are also scheduled for Saturday at the school.

This concerns Steamtown Marathon Association President and race Director Bill King, who fears the additional traffic from the Sanders rally will create logistical problems.

"I’m concerned about the health, safety and welfare of everyone involved there," said Mr. King, who said the race expo could draw as many as 4,000 people. "It’s going to be a logistical nightmare for everyone involved."

Race organizers have had the high school’s cafeteria, auxiliary gymnasium and main hallway reserved for months for the expo, which runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Runners from 40 states are expected to descend on the school to collect their shirts, racing chips and bibs.

King was sharply critical of Boland’s decision to move the event to the high school.

"We’re raising money for children who are mentally and physical disabled," King said in a radio interview on 103.1 FM. "[Ryan’s Run] is raising money for children that are physically disabled ... Then, boom, Rosemary Boland from the Scranton Federation of Teachers decides, ‘I’m going to move Bernie Sanders down to Scranton High School.’ How she had the authority to do that, I have no idea."

"There’s going to be no parking," King added. "It’s going to be chaos. It’s going to be embarrassing to us."

Sanders endorsed Clinton in July after a contentious primary and has done multiple campaign appearances. According to the newspaper, the Clinton campaign could not be reached for comment.

Boland was interviewed by the same radio station and said "nobody cried" when there were political rallies and other events at the high school.