MLB’s explanation for why they donated $5,000 to the runoff campaign of disgraceful shitheel Cindy Hyde-Smith was vague and lame and doesn’t at all function as any kind of credible excuse: “The contribution was made in connection with an event that MLB lobbyists were asked to attend.” Yes, that is how fundraisers work—all donations ever given at political fundraisers are made in connection with events you are asked to attend.
On Monday Jeff Passan reported an interesting, unexpected detail of this event, and it appears the contribution to Hyde-Smith’s campaign wasn’t even the price of blowing off one of her icky fundraisers. It turns out it was a political favor to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, in exchange for blowing off one of his icky fundraisers:
When a lobbyist who works for MLB could not attend a fundraiser put on by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in mid-November, the league was asked instead to donate money to Hyde-Smith, according to sources. The league cut the check for Hyde-Smith’s campaign on Nov. 12 or 13, two sources told Yahoo Sports – a day or two after the lynching comments were first made public by the Jackson Free Press. The campaign reported the contribution in a Nov. 23 filing.
So while the general public was recoiling from fresh revelations of Hyde-Smith’s active toxicity, MLB was sending campaign money her way at the behest of one of the true shit-hearts in American government. Cool, cool.