BEL AIR, MD — County Executive Barry Glassman used his authority to pardon Jim the turkey before Thanksgiving.
"Just in time! County Executive Barry Glassman pardons 'Jim' the turkey ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday," Harford County government said in a statement.
Harford County shared a photo of the official pardoning on Tuesday, the day that President Donald Trump granted an executive pardon to Drumstick and Wishbone in the rose garden at the White House.
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The national tradition of the POTUS pardoning a turkey has been going on for decades, the White House Historical Association reports.
In Harford County, Jim was the first turkey to be pardoned, according to Harford County government spokeswoman Cindy Mumby.
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The idea was to draw attention to the "buy local" campaign, Mumby said. The campaign encourages support for Harford County farms.
"Jim, pictured here in the arms of his owner Andy Bachman, plans to live peacefully at his home at Andy's Eggs and Poultry in Fallston," Harford County government posted on Facebook. "Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!"
Photo courtesy of the Harford County government.
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