John a Bates

Vipers In Pinstripes John a Bates

The old saying "you can't fight city hall" was laid to rest 35 years ago when the author of this riveting tale decided to fight to keep his job as an Animal Control Officer in the City of Arlington, Texas. The story that lay buried beneath layers of intimidation and intrigue can now be told, as the author describes his quest to clear his name and salvage his reputation. Malfeasance, non-feasance, nepotism, discrimination, criminal acts, and drug use were mostly overlooked....until the author obtained the official report the City of Arlington didn't want you to see."Vipers in Pinstripes recalls the remarkable story of the clerical and legal hurdles to clear my name and reputation after being terminated as an Animal Control Officer in 1985. The story pits a group of low-level employees against a cabal of superiors within the City of Arlington (Texas) government, culminating in a run for City Council and a federal lawsuit. This true tale is a mix of personal memories, intrigue and deception, information gleaned from newspaper accounts of the era, documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, and court documents from the federal court in the Northern District of Texas. If you enjoy a "true crime" story with lots of twists and turns, I'll wager you're going to love this page-turner of local Texas history, mostly hidden from public disclosure for some thirty-five years." (John Bates)