Two House Republicans from Georgia are pressuring Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred to answer for his decision to move its All-Star Game out of Georgia last year.
Reps. Buddy Carter and Barry Loudermilk suggested in a letter made public Tuesday that Manfred "caved to cancel culture" when he moved the game shortly after new GOP-backed election laws were passed.
They also claimed the MLB's decision to either not review the Election Integrity Act or knowingly mischaracterize the legislation cost Georgians more than $100 million.
"This carelessness contributed to the further politicization of sports — America's 'pastime' that has long served as a unifying force — and harmed Georgians," the letter read.
While announcing the document, Loudermilk wrote on Twitter that the MLB "listened to the leftist lies instead of the facts about Georgia's election law when they decided to move the 21' All-Star Game out of Ga, and it cost hardworking Georgians millions."
Manfred had announced in 2021 that the All-Star Game, originally scheduled to be held in Atlanta, would move to Denver. At the time, he said the move was "the best way to demonstrate our values as a sport."
"Major League Baseball fundamentally supports voting rights for all Americans and opposes restrictions to the ballot box," the statement read. "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."
The top baseball executive is also under the ire of Congress over the league's 100-year antitrust exemption for its associated minor league.
On Monday, Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, sent their own letter to Manfred, asking him to respond by July 26 on why the league still needs the exemption.
"Your answers will help inform the Senate Judiciary Committee's analysis of the necessity of this century-old exemption," the bipartisan group wrote.
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