The NFL is unwilling to confront the racist and nationalistic expectations of it’s fan base. Kap is unwilling to give up his free speech rights.
On top of this, Trump has violated US law by influencing NFL employment decisions. Doubt this is over.
On top of this, Trump has violated US law by influencing NFL employment decisions. Doubt this is over.
A player shouldn’t have to give up his free speech rights for employment.
Trump violated 18 U.S. Code § 227 “Wrongfully influencing a private entity’s employment decisions by [the] executive branch”
Trump violated 18 U.S. Code § 227 “Wrongfully influencing a private entity’s employment decisions by [the] executive branch”
This statute applies to President Trump who attempted to influence the NFL (private entity) in speeches at his MAGA rallies (partisan political affiliation) to fire (employment decision) NFL players who excercise their free speech rights protesting.
🎥: MAGA rally - 9/22/17
🎥: MAGA rally - 9/22/17
At another MAGA rally, Trump took credit for Colin Kaepernick being without a job because NFL owners were afraid of getting a “nasty tweet from Donald Trump.”
The DOJ says Trump’s tweets are official statements (official acts).
“The Department of Justice on Monday told a federal district court judge In Washington, D.C. that Donald Trump’s tweets are ‘official statements of the President of the United States.’”
“The Department of Justice on Monday told a federal district court judge In Washington, D.C. that Donald Trump’s tweets are ‘official statements of the President of the United States.’”
Trump has made kneeling football players a partisan, political issue, and has made official statements (tweets) attempting to influence employment in the NFL, a private entity.
Trump is guilty of violating 18 U.S. Code § 227.
Trump is guilty of violating 18 U.S. Code § 227.
In Oct. 2017, Business Insider documented how Trump tweeted about the NFL and the National Anthem 37 times in one month. businessinsider.com/trump-twitter-…
Trump told Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones that the criticism of NFL players protesting during the National Anthem “a winning, strong issue for me.”
"Tell everybody, you can't win this one.”
“This one lifts me."
"Tell everybody, you can't win this one.”
“This one lifts me."
The above statue also applies to Vice President Pence who pulled a PR stunt arriving to a Colts game then leaving when 49ers players took a knee.
Pence tweeted (official statements) condemning the free speech.
Eric Reid summarized it at the time.
Pence tweeted (official statements) condemning the free speech.
Eric Reid summarized it at the time.
The stunt cost taxpayers $325,000+ and was pre-planned.
As NFL executive Troy Vincent explained, at one point the NFL was even calling back fans who were upset over the protests, even ones who wrote “hateful” expressions and mailed in a “burned up Kap’s jersey.”
So “the end” isn’t that Kap blew his last chance, it’s what it has been all along: the NFL is unwilling to confront the racist and nationalistic expectations of the fans and is willing to kill the careers of athletes who are unwilling to accept the side deals to shut up about it.
Caving to Trump is cemented into the NFL’s legacy. #NFL100
A lot of people don’t know that 2 years ago, @RepAlGreen introduced House Bill 646 as an impeachment bill.
Part of the bill cited President Trump’s language calling kneeling NFL players sons of bitches and calling for them to be fired.
💻: congress.gov/bill/115th-con…
Part of the bill cited President Trump’s language calling kneeling NFL players sons of bitches and calling for them to be fired.
💻: congress.gov/bill/115th-con…
Donald Trump faces the following consequences under the statute:
He “shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more than 15 years, or both, and may be disqualified from holding any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States.”
law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18…
He “shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more than 15 years, or both, and may be disqualified from holding any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States.”
law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18…
Just saw that @MarkRuffalo called this out in 2017. Trump violated the law:
