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Major League Baseball (MLB) on Friday said it would move its annual All-Star Game from this year’s location, Atlanta, to another state because of Georgia’s newly-passed voting laws. Both Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and former President Donald Trump scoffed at baseball’s decision.
Georgia passed new voting laws last week that include voter ID for absentee ballots, fewer drop boxes and it makes it a crime to bring food and water to voters who wait in lines to cast their ballots.
MLB announced Friday afternoon that it would pull this year’s Midsummer Classic from the Peach State to a site “to be determined.”
“Over the last week, we have engaged in thoughtful conversations with Clubs, former and current players, the Players Association, and The Players Alliance, among others, to listen to their views. I have decided that the best way to demonstrate our values as a sport is by relocating this year’s All-Star Game and MLB Draft,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement.
This drew instant criticisms from both Trump and Gov. Kemp, who said MLB and major corporations in Georgia have become “woke” to “free and fair elections.”
“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 wrote Friday night.
Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images
The 45th president continued.
“Boycott baseball and all of the woke companies that are interfering with Free and Fair Elections. Are you listening Coke, Delta, and all!”
Meanwhile, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Friday said that those who speak out against his state’s new voting laws are simply “caved to the cancel culture.” The Georgia governor told listeners across the country that “they’re coming after you next.”
“I think it’s a message to all of us, all across this country that are home tonight, they’re coming after you next. You know, they’re going to come after your ballgame. They’re going to boycott your business. If you don’t agree with their way of life, they are going to come after you on that, too,” Kemp added.
Manfred said that MLB in 2020 became the first professional sports league to join the Civic Alliance, a non-partisan group that helps build a future in the way people participate in shaping the country.
“We proudly used our platform to encourage baseball fans and communities throughout our country to perform their civic duty and actively participate in the voting process. Fair access to voting continues to have our game’s unwavering support.”
The players association last week said it was open to moving the Midsummer Classic from Atlanta’s Truist Park. MLB stated it was still looking for a replacement city this summer.
“We will continue with our plans to celebrate the memory of Hank Aaron during this season’s All-Star festivities. In addition, MLB’s planned investments to support local communities in Atlanta as part of our All-Star Legacy Projects will move forward. We are finalizing a new host city and details about these events will be announced shortly.”
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