Former President Barack Obama cheered Major League Baseball boycotting the state of Georgia for this year’s All Star Game and Draft, which will harm the state from an economic standpoint, over a new voting law in the state that tightens up security in elections.
“Congratulations to @MLB for taking a stand on behalf of voting rights for all citizens,” Obama said. “There’s no better way for America’s pastime to honor the great Hank Aaron, who always led by example.”
Congratulations to @MLB for taking a stand on behalf of voting rights for all citizens. There’s no better way for America’s pastime to honor the great Hank Aaron, who always led by example.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) April 3, 2021
Obama’s tweet came after MLB announced that it was pulling out of the state for those two events, which comes after Democrat President Joe Biden said that he would “strongly support” the boycott. Biden has repeated falsehoods about the Georgia election bill, falsely claiming that it ends voting hours early, when fact checkers say that it does not and that it actually helps to “expand the opportunities to vote for most Georgians, not limit them.”
The New York Times even admitted on Saturday that the law’s voting provisions “are unlikely to significantly affect turnout or Democratic chances” and could even “increase turnout.”
Former President Donald Trump, a Republican, slammed MLB for its decision to boycott the state and encouraged Americans to boycott the league and other woke companies.
“Baseball is already losing tremendous numbers of fans, and now they leave Atlanta with their All-Star Game because they are afraid of the Radical Left Democrats who do not want voter I.D., which is desperately needed, to have anything to do with our elections,” Trump said in a statement. “Boycott baseball and all of the woke companies that are interfering with Free and Fair Elections. Are you listening Coke, Delta, and all!”
Many critics blamed Democrats — specifically Biden and far-left activist Stacy Abrams — for MLB’s decision to dump Atlanta. Abrams praised MLB, saying she was “proud of their stance” on political issues.
“Today, @MLB caved to fear, political opportunism, and liberal lies,” Governor Brian Kemp said in a statement. “Georgians – and all Americans – should fully understand what the MLB’s knee-jerk decision means: cancel culture and woke political activists are coming for every aspect of your life, sports included. If the left doesn’t agree with you, facts and the truth do not matter.”
“This attack on our state is the direct result of repeated lies from Joe Biden and Stacey Abrams about a bill that expands access to the ballot box and ensures the integrity of our elections,” Kemp continued. “I will not back down. Georgians will not be bullied. We will continue to stand up for secure, accessible, fair elections. Earlier today, I spoke with the leadership of the Atlanta Braves who informed me they do not support the MLB’s decision.”
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr responded to the news by writing: “The blame for every job lost and every dollar stripped from hardworking Georgians as a result of the MLB’s decision lies squarely with @staceyabrams , @POTUS , @ReverendWarnock and @ossoff . #StaceysBigLie”
Changes to state laws that would make it easier for partisan actors to invalidate election results are a greater existential threat to democracy, by an order of magnitude, than the sorts of changes to voting procedures that most states are contemplating.
— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) April 3, 2021