Giants owner linked to racial ad dispute

The majority owner of the San Francisco Giants was among the donors to a political action committee that produced a racially charged ad in support of Arkansas congressman French HIll.

The radio ad, created by a group calling itself Black Americans for the President’s Agenda, aired Thursday and was denounced by many, including Hill. The ad used Brett M. Kavanaugh’s plight to argue that Democrats could bring back lynchings against black men.

One of the contributors to the super PAC is San Francisco Giants principal owner Charles B. Johnson. In a statement issued by the team Friday afternoon, Johnson said, “I had absolutely no knowledge that this donation would be used in this manner and I, like the Giants organization, strongly condemn any form of racism and in no way condone the advertisement that was created by this entity.”

The Giants also issued a statement regarding Johnson’s donation and said the organization was completely unaware of the donation.

“The Giants’ reputation as one of the most inclusive and socially engaged professional sports teams in the nation speaks for itself. We are unaware of Mr. Johnson’s political donations because they are entirely separate from his stake in the Giants ownership group. In no way do the Giants condone this disturbing and divisive political activity.”

The ad takes the form of a conversation between two black women discussing the sexual misconduct allegations levied against Kavanaugh, claiming that his treatment was a sign that the presumption of innocence had turned into the presumption of guilt in the United States.