Twitter users were outraged on Saturday after it was learned that Major League Baseball made a campaign donation to a Republican Mississippi senator who made a joke about lynchings.
A political action committee created by Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred donated $5,000 to Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, the web site Popular Information reported.
Earlier this month Hyde-Smith was heard telling supporters at a campaign stop that she would be glad to attend a ‘public hanging.’
Hyde-Smith at first denied that there was any malice behind the comment, but during a debate last week with her challenger, Democrat Mike Espy, she apologized ‘to anyone offended’ by the comment.
The Senate race between Hyde-Smith and Espy will be decided in a special runoff election on Tuesday.
Mississippi Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (left) received a $5,000 campaign donation from Major League Baseball. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is seen right
The contribution was listed in documents filed with the Federal Election Commission (seen above)
Earlier this month video emerged showing Hyde-Smith at a campaign stop during which she joked about going to a ‘public hanging’
The apology failed to dim the outrage, which led to seven companies, including Walmart, to ask Hyde-Smith to refund the contributions.
MLB made the contribution on November 23, which was after the controversy erupted in the press.
The document indicating the contribution was filed with the Federal Election Commission.
It was also learned that Charles B. Johnson, the co-owner of the San Francisco Giants, recently donated $2,700, the legal maximum, to Hyde-Smith.
His wife, Ann, also contributed the same amount.
News of the donations ignited outrage online.
Ben Rhodes, a former official with the Obama administration, tweeted: ‘When MLB sells a bunch of 42 jerseys next Jackie Robinson day perhaps they can explain supporting someone in Mississippi who jokes about public hangings.’
Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play in the Major Leagues, is honored every year, with all players wearing his uniform number 42.
Jemele Hill, the former ESPN personality, tweeted: ‘But please MLB, do continue to tell us how much people of color matter and the importance of Jackie Robinson’s legacy.’
Kyle O’Leary tweeted: On April 15 every player in MLB will wear a jersey with the number 42 for Jackie Robinson Day, and we’ll all remember that while the league profits off recognizing the achievements of an African American, they gave 5K to someone who said she’d sit in the front row of a hanging.’
Journalist Shaun King tweeted: ‘Dear MLB, Really? This is not ok.’
‘Wow,’ tweeted Sleeping Giants. ‘MLB, supporting Cindy Hyde-Smith after her comments on public hangings? Really??’
The Office co-creator Michael Schur tweeted: ‘If you don’t do something about this I will spend the next 100 consecutive months telling everyone who will listen that my favorite sport does not deserve my or anyone else’s money’
Kyle O’Leary tweeted: On April 15 every player in MLB will wear a jersey with the number 42 for Jackie Robinson Day, and we’ll all remember that while the league profits off recognizing the achievements of an African American, they gave 5K to someone who said she’d sit in the front row of a hanging’
Jemele Hill, the former ESPN personality, tweeted: ‘But please MLB, do continue to tell us how much people of color matter and the importance of Jackie Robinson’s legacy’
Ben Rhodes, a former official with the Obama administration, tweeted: ‘When MLB sells a bunch of 42 jerseys next Jackie Robinson day perhaps they can explain supporting someone in Mississippi who jokes about public hangings’
‘Wow,’ tweeted Sleeping Giants. ‘MLB, supporting Cindy Hyde-Smith after her comments on public hangings? Really??’
The Office co-creator Michael Schur tweeted: ‘Hi Rob Manfred my name is Mike and I’m extremely curious why you gave Senate Candidate Cindy Lynchy Jokey Lady five thousand dollars.
‘If you don’t do something about this I will spend the next 100 consecutive months telling everyone who will listen that my favorite sport does not deserve my or anyone else’s money,’ Schur tweeted.
Journalist Shaun King tweeted: ‘Dear MLB, Really? This is not ok.’
News of MLB’s donation broke just hours after it was learned that Hyde-Smith attended a segregated high school that was solely created so white people could avoid being educated with black people, then sent her daughter went to a majority white school.
Hyde-Smith has also come under fire for a 2014 Facebook post that shows her wearing a Confederate Army hat
After images of the 59-year-old – who is running for re-election this month – surfaced showing her sporting a Confederate Army hat and a video emerged revealing her support for voter suppression, more of her controversial background has come to light.
In a page from her 1975 yearbook from the Lawrence County Academy established in 1970, she appears with a group of cheerleaders and a mascot holding the Confederate flag.
The black-and-white image shows her third from right with short hair, smiling at her institution that was formed in response the 1969’s call for desegregation, reports the Jacksonville Free Press.
A former student who wished to remain anonymous supplied the evidence.
With her graduation year being 1977, it means Hyde-Smith would have had to move from another school to join those aiming to bypass a new racially-integrated society.