You are about to witness a crime. There are so many pouring out of this administration it’s hard to keep track of them all. However, this one happened in plain sight. Expect the ripple effect to be felt in businesses across the country. In case you missed it, here it is:
The NFL understood the import of what the president was doing and originally pushed back.
NFL Commissioner Goodell issued a public rebuke saying, in part
"Divisive comments like these demonstrate an unfortunate lack of respect for the NFL, our great game and all of our players, and a failure to understand the overwhelming force for good our clubs and players represent in our communities."
The NFL Players Association Executive Director, DeMaurice Smith, similarly rebuked the president in a public statement declaring
"This union will never back down when it comes to protecting the constitutional rights of our players as citizens as well as their safety as men who compete in a game that exposes them to great risks.”
So Trump says something outrageous. This is hardly news. It doesn’t even seem particularly outrageous compared to many of his other statements. Where’s the crime, snowflake? The pressure did not stop with one act. As you probably remember, and the Guardian accurately reported:
Pence follows Trump order and walks out of 49ers-Colts after players kneel
So, where’s the crime? Politicians say stuff all the time. The NFL is a multibillion dollar enterprise and they know how to throw their weight around. Unless all this pressure has a demonstrable effect on their employment decisions or employment practices, it’s just talk.
If you are uncertain about this, don’t worry. Tony Perkins’ Family Research Council, which identifies itself as “an American conservative Christian group and lobbying organization,” is not confused about this at all. In their recent news update they crowed:
Patriotism, the kind quarterback Colin Kaepernick flouted when he took a knee during the Star Spangled Banner, is no longer optional. "This season, all league and team personnel shall stand and show respect for the flag and the Anthem. Personnel who choose not to stand for the Anthem may stay in the locker room until after the Anthem has been performed," Goodell said in a statement Wednesday. After a bruising year for the NFL brand, Goodell did what fans had been clamoring for: put an end to the political protests that were rocking his sport.
Teams that don't comply, NFL officials say, will be hit where it hurts -- in the wallet. "A club will be fined by the League if its personnel are on the field and do not stand and show respect for the flag and the Anthem," the NFL warns. Like most Americans, President Trump has watched this year-long controversy unfold with disdain. Last September, he asked fans to send the League a message by turning off the game. "Things will stop," he predicted. "Just pick up and leave. Pick up and leave. Not the same game anymore anyway..."
Trump got the League's attention alright. Millions of fans changed channels, ended their subscriptions, or stopped buying tickets altogether. At games, boos rained down where cheers once were. And suddenly, the biggest storyline on NFL Sunday had nothing to do with the scores.
(emphasis added)
Now, that might just be opportunistic chest thumping on the part of the FRC. But VP Pence, one of the players in this political game of coercion, made it clear that was the view inside the White House as well when he tweeted this on his official (@VP) Twitter account:
So there you have it:
The President AND the Vice President, working on the orders of the president, brought partisan political influence to bear on the NFL to change their employment practices. The president went so far as to order the vice president to stage a counter protest at an NFL game, their place of work. The NFL fought them, but eventually caved in to the unbearable political pressure. But some enablers will undoubtedly say the NFL was influenced by fans, not the POTUS or VP.
Then the Vice President publicly bragged about it as a WIN FOR THE PRESIDENT.
According to Mark Geragos, this is a violation of 18 U.S. Code § 227 - Wrongfully influencing a private entity’s employment decisions by a Member of Congress or an officer or employee of the legislative or executive branch.
Say what you will about Geragos, no one disputes his legal acumen. After citing the case law he simply labeled it as “Another crime committed by Trump and Co.” To show you how serious this crime is, consider the penalty. Violating this law can land you in prison for up to 15 years. This is harsh for a reason. If you don’t think this kind of behavior can have a corrosive widespread impact on workplaces across the country, you are Mything The Point.