Several Republican senators joined calls to end Major League Baseball’s (MLB) antitrust exemption after it pulled the 2021 All-Star Game out of Atlanta, Georgia, saying that it was because of the recent voter integrity bill that has been lambasted by other major corporations and Democratic officials.
MLB announced the decision to move the game on April 2, saying it would do to protest against the voting law that it claimed would restrict the ability of people to vote. Republicans, in criticizing the MLB and other major corporations, have accused them of bowing to Democratic-led and celebrity-led pressure. Democrats, without providing evidence, have said the new laws will make it harder for African-American voters to cast their ballots.
The measure, which was passed last month and signed into law by Georgia’s governor, implements identification requirements for mail-in ballots and places restrictions on the number of drop boxes across the state.
“Why does @MLB still have antitrust immunity? It’s time for the federal government to stop granting special privileges to specific, favored corporations—especially those that punish their political opponents,” Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) wrote on Twitter.
Added Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas): “EXACTLY right. And @SenMikeLee & I will be working hard to END MLB’s antitrust immunity,” accusing the organization of becoming “woke,” a pejorative used by conservatives to describe left-wing activism that focuses on identity politics while using censorship and pressure campaigns to silence opposing viewpoints.
