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- Republicans told the DOJ Caitlin Clark was hip-checked, poked in the eye, and struck in the throat, alleging a pattern of on-court attacks.
- The letter demanded the WNBA explain handling of physical hostility, overly aggressive acts, and online harassment, with a response due by July 24.
- Indiana Fever said it had no interaction with the congressional group and emphasized player safety and ongoing dialogue with the league.
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Ja'han Jones criticized the lawmakers, calling the letter racially motivated and noting ensuing death threats.
Republicans are going to bat for WNBA star Caitlin Clark. According to The Guardian, a group of about a dozen Republican lawmakers is demanding the league protect Clark from hard fouls. Led by Texas Rep. August Pfluger, the group sent a letter to the Department of Justice, saying the Indiana Fever guard may be targeted by Black players because she is white.
What did Republicans say about Caitlin Clark in their letter to the DOJ?
In their letter to the DOJ, the Republican lawmakers said Clark is being “hip-checked, poked in the eye, and struck in the throat during games.”
According to NewsNation, the group described the fouls as a pattern of on-court attacks against the Fever guard and threatened to seek a federal investigation if the league doesn’t take action to protect Clark.
“As Commissioner, you have an obligation to ensure that every player competes in a safe and professional environment, both on and off the court, free from violence, discrimination, or retaliation,” the Republicans stated in their letter, per The Guardian. “If discrimination or retaliation is occurring and creating a hostile work environment, we support any appropriate investigation by the Department of Justice, the Department of Labor, or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. If true, such conduct could constitute violations of federal civil rights laws.”
The letter also demands that the WNBA explain how the league addresses “physical hostility and violence on the court,” how it responds to “overly aggressive acts on the court,” and how it protects players from online harassment.
Lawmakers are demanding that the WNBA respond to the letter by July 24.
“What they could do is basically talk about the evidence they have found or seen in certain points of play that are happening on the court,” Mike Bako, sports editor at DailyNational.com, told NewsNation. “The league is covering all its bases in what they are doing.”
How did the Indiana Fever respond to lawmakers speaking up for Caitlin Clark?
While Clark hasn’t responded to the letter from Republican lawmakers, her team said neither the organization nor its star guard has had “any interaction with anyone in this congressional group.” The Fever also said it “was unaware of their letter.”
“We have been clear in our public comments and in our ongoing dialogue with the League about the priority of player safety,” the Fever said in a statement, per The Guardian. “Our players and our fans know where we stand on those issues, and we will continue to stick up for our team and a standard of excellence across the league.”
What did Kareem Abdul-Jabbar say about Caitlin Clark?
NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar shared his thoughts on the Caitlin Clark conversation in a recent article on Substack. The Hall of Famer specifically addressed the situation involving Clark and Phoenix Mercury star Alyssa Thomas, who was suspended for one game after a hard foul on the Fever guard, per Basketball Network.
“Clark is white and Thomas is Black, and I guess that was enough for these intrepid lawmakers to decide the play might have been racially motivated,” Abdul-Jabbar wrote. “You don’t have to ask what race these eleven GOP congresspeople are, as there are only two Black Republicans currently in the House of Representatives.”
The Los Angeles Lakers legend also criticized the lawmakers for escalating the situation, which resulted in death threats against Thomas.
“So, forgive me if it strikes me as much more likely that the letter was racially motivated, rather than the play,” Abdul-Jabbar wrote.
In a MS Now op-ed, Ja’han Jones also fired back at the Republican lawmakers, saying the letter is “one of the most petulant and pitiful documents ever signed by lawmakers.”
“And to declare that the WNBA needs to address this nonexistent issue to help inspire ‘the next generation of female athletes’ reeks of sexism,” Jones wrote.
While Republicans are looking to defend Clark, Jones said the All-Star guard has been trying to distance herself from people attempting to instigate racial division.
“Clark has touted the pioneering Black women who helped the WNBA grow, and she has rebuked racism from people — especially conservative influencers online — who have portrayed themselves as her supporters while trying to use her as a political lightning rod,” Jones wrote.
Jones cited Clark’s recent statement in which she condemned racist comments directed at Alyssa Thomas.
“It’s easy to see why a true competitor, as Clark appears to be, might be embarrassed by this kind of racist coddling,” Jones wrote.
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