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The Center for American Progress reports
Last month, the NFL announced a new policy for its players during the national anthem: Players are permitted to stay in the locker room during the anthem, but if they go out onto the field during it, they must stand. If any of the players takes a knee, the team will be fined.
Soon afterwards, a Wall Street Journal report confirmed what most have long suspected: That President Donald Trump's public outrage about NFL players protesting police brutality and systemic racism during the national anthem at football games heavily influenced NFL owners to change the rule, and discouraged them from signing players who would protest.
It's all terrible news for those in favor of free speech and peaceful protest, and for those against white nationalism and police brutality.
However, Mark Geragos, the lawyer representing Kaepernick in his collusion lawsuit against the NFL, [...] believes [...] that Trump's direct influence over NFL owners on this issue violates federal law. U.S. Code 227 [which] says that members of Congress or the executive branch cannot "wrongfully influence a private entity's employment decision ... solely on the basis of partisan political affiliation".
A few revelations from the last couple of weeks strongly support Geragos' case here, and it's important to remember that Geragos knows much more about the case than we do--he has taken the depositions of more than a dozen NFL owners, while the public only knows about the depositions that have leaked.
[...] Of course, influencing the private hiring decisions of a company isn't the only part of U.S. Code [227] that needs to be proved; it would also have to be shown that Trump did it for partisan political purposes.
That sounds trickier to prove, but in this case, that's not necessarily true. First of all, Trump's comments were made at a political rally supporting an Alabama Republican candidate for US Senate--an expressly partisan environment. And according to the WSJ, Trump told Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones in private conversations that the issue was a "winning" one for him.
Previous: NFL: New National Anthem Rule; NY Jets CEO: Break the Rule and I'll Pay the Fine
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday June 04 2018, @09:11PM (7 children)
Ah yes, the stupid conservative who thinks that privatizing everything is great and that Constitutional rights are somehow limited by employment. They are free to fire him if they can legally do so, but that doesn't make Trump's involvement any less illegal.
Suck it up buttercup, your spine needs some hardening. Also, might want to do some squats to try and firm up your butthole after the decades of rape you've been so "happy" to receive.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday June 04 2018, @09:44PM (3 children)
If he's a buttercup you're sour cream for sure. You can't just impeach someone because you don't like him and what he does... We are a nation of laws. I yearn for the day when the REEEEEEing stops.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday June 04 2018, @11:47PM (2 children)
Sure I jumped the shark with "but that doesn't make Trump's involvement any less illegal" but you imagining that I'm calling for impeachment just because I don't like him makes you the moron going REEEEEEEE. Irony is a bitch, guess that's why you get along with it so well.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 05 2018, @01:34AM (1 child)
Nevermind, you're a salty salty pretzel
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 05 2018, @04:13PM
Ah yes, the superior intellectual who dispassionately stands back and points fingers while offering nothing of substance. Communication is often hard around sensitive issues, misunderstandings are very common, but it is sure a hell of a lot better than ignoring everything and hoping humanity suddenly morphs into perfectly reasonable people. Best of luck with your useless approach to criticism.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 05 2018, @12:02AM (2 children)
Ah yes. The simple minded entitled millennial. If you think your first amendment rights aren't limited by employment, try going to work and calling your boss a fucking fascist asshole. I'll be you'll still be claiming he's violating your rights as he throws you out the door.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 05 2018, @02:16PM (1 child)
Not what I said, keep practicing that reading comprehension.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 05 2018, @06:27PM
Read what I quoted from you. Yes it is exactly what you said.