Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) claimed this week that he never ordered the withdrawal of Nike factory incentives in his state, following the brand’s decision to pull a Betsy Ross flag-themed sneaker.
This was a lie — and the tweet in which Ducey announced that order is still up on his official account.
“I’d direct you to re-read the tweet,” the governor said Tuesday, when pressed by reporters on his decision to order the incentives withdrawal earlier in July. “Try to be accurate.”
Ducey suggested he had “advocated” for the move but had not ordered it.
Nike had initially planned to build a new manufacturing plant in Goodyear, Arizona, scheduled to open in 2020, which would create 505 jobs over three years. The company made an initial investment of $184.5 million into the plant, while the Arizona Commerce Authority said it was willing to provide a $1 million grant to help sweeten the deal.
In early July, Nike made the decision to cancel distribution of a Fourth of July-themed sneaker which was emblazoned with the Betsy Ross flag. The move came after former NFL quarterback, social-justice advocate, and Nike endorser Colin Kaepernick reached out to company officials to note that the flag had connections to slavery and white supremacy.
Conservatives, including Ducey, who went on a 2 a.m. Twitter rant on the topic, were outraged.
“Instead of celebrating American history the week of our nation’s independence, Nike has apparently decided that Betsy Ross is unworthy, and has bowed to the current onslaught of political correctness and historical revisionism,” he wrote. “It is a shameful retreat for the company. American businesses should be proud of our country’s history, not abandoning it.”
Ducey announced he would reverse the incentives previously promised to the company, as a result of its decision. “Nike has made its decision, and now we’re making ours,” he said. “I’ve ordered the Arizona Commerce Authority to withdraw all financial incentive dollars under their discretion that the State was providing for the company to locate here.”
Nike has made its decision, and now we’re making ours. I’ve ordered the Arizona Commerce Authority to withdraw all financial incentive dollars under their discretion that the State was providing for the company to locate here. 7/
— Doug Ducey (@dougducey) July 2, 2019
Ducey’s fellow conservatives also criticized Nike’s decision as an example of over-the-top political correctness.
Ducey has wavered on the controversy since then. Two days after his initial rant against Nike, the governor was spotted wearing a pair of Nike shoes at a Fourth of July event. Ducey was also eager to promote the company a week after the online kerfuffle when Nike officially announced it would move forward with its Goodyear plant.
“This is good news for Arizona and for @GoodyearAZGov,” Ducey tweeted on July 11. “500 plus jobs. Over $184 million in capital investment. Arizona is open for business, and we welcome @Nike to our state.”
Ducey has become a close ally of Trump, vocally supporting the president’s decision earlier this year to declare a national emergency on the border. Trump also selected Ducey to sit on the national Council of Governors, a bipartisan advisory group. When Ducey visited the White House in June, Trump lauded the “fantastic job” the governor was doing to help create jobs in his state.
“We hope that other states are going to follow Arizona’s lead,” Trump said. “You really have been at the forefront and we really appreciate that.”