Owner seeks donation refund
Civil rights lawyer says move a good first step
SAN FRANCISCO >> For the second time in as many months, Giants principal owner Charles Johnson has asked for a controversial political donation to be returned.
Johnson released a statement through attorney Joe Cotchett on Tuesday that announced he has requested his $2,700 donation to Cindy HydeSmith, a Republican U.S. Senator from Mississippi, be refunded.
Hyde-Smith beat Democratic challenger Mike Espy in a runoff for the final undecided U.S. Senate seat Tuesday, and she has been criticized of late for racist remarks. Johnson’s donation to Hyde-Smith was received November 20, several days after she said she would “be on the front row” if invited to a public hanging.
“I would like to provide important context related to my political donation to Cindy HydeSmith,” Johnson said in a statement. “I was not aware of the controversy surrounding HydeSmith when I made the donation. I strongly condemn any form of racism, and I have asked for my contribution to be returned. My political donations are my own personal donations, which have no affiliation with the Giants or any company.”
Election filings showed Johnson and his wife, Ann, each donated the maximum amount to Hyde-Smith’s campaign about a month after Johnson requested a $1,000 contribution to the super PAC Black Americans for the President’s Agenda be returned. The super PAC created racist ra-
dio advertisements in support of Arkansas congressman French Hill.
After news of Johnson’s donation to HydeSmith’s campaign surfaced, civil rights attorney John Burris and San Francisco NAACP chapter
president Dr. Amos Brown announced a “total boycott” of the Giants at a Monday press conference. Brown said he would continue his boycott until Johnson requested his donation be returned, but Burris said he was unsure how he would feel if Johnson remains involved in the franchise’s ownership group.
The Bay Area News
Group reached Burris by phone on Tuesday after Johnson released his statement and Burris called Johnson’s latest action “a positive first step.”
“This is a positive movement although the damage has been done in terms of the election and the support for it so this closes the door to the barn after the horses have gotten out,” Burris
said. “As for what I’m going to do, that remains to be seen. I think it’s more than just that now, to me it’s more given the other case that he was involved in. The concern I have is that this is a guy who represents the Giants who supports these right-wing, race-baiting groups. I haven’t made a decision yet, I just think it’s a positive first step.”