On Thursday morning’s CNN Newsroom, host Poppy Harlow brought on WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert to encourage her to forward the radical cancel culture of Black Lives Matter. Harlow pressured Engelbert to force Georgia Republican Senator Kelly Loeffler to sell her co-ownership of the Atlanta Dream due to her opposing the WNBA’s endorsement of BLM. Harlow even compared Loeffler correctly describing BLM as a radical Marxist organization to former NBA owner Donald Sterling, who was ousted from the NBA for making explicitly racist remarks.
Harlow, who has voiced support for radical BLM demands such as reparations, began the discussion by bringing up the WNBA’s decision to back the far-left group:
So when you -- when -- let's talk about what you've dedicated this -- this season to, that's about to begin in just over a week, and that is social justice. Opening weekend is going to be a -- a weekend to affirm and focus on the Black Lives Matter movement. Warm-up gear will have that written on it. You've had players, star players, including Maya Moore and Renee Montgomery, step away from the league just to work solely on social justice. Tell me why you as commissioner, in your first year, made this choice?
For her part, Engelbert spouted typical woke talking points:
Yeah, I think the players, what I've been so impressed with, and I'll be here a year tomorrow, that the players have always taken a lead here on social justice and I think as a league we've supported and stood by them on the causes that matter the most. So as commissioner, I'm committed to making sure this season is about what the players want to advocate for and we have worked hard with them around making sure Black Lives Matter and the players in the WNBA have, you know, platforms in a time when there is so much injustice and inequality in society.
Harlow then attacked Loeffler and played one of her statements about BLM:
HARLOW: Two-thirds of -- of the league’s players in fact are black, yet Georgia Republican Senator Kelly Loeffler, who is a co-owner of the Atlanta Dream, she sent you a letter and a lot of us have read it at this point. And she -- she accused you Cathy of inserting a political platform into the league and then she said this on Fox News.
SENATOR KELLY LOEFFLER (R-GA): The WNBA has embraced the Black Lives Matter political organization. This is a very divisive organization based on Marxist principles. This week they threatened to burn the system down literally and figuratively if they don't get what they want. I mean, this is an organization that you know, seeks to destroy American principles, and I had to draw the line.
Harlow did not discuss the substance of Loeffler’s statement, but the Senator is right. Two of BLM’s leaders are self-described Marxists. Furthermore, the group’s New York leader stated that "if this country doesn't give us what we want, then we will burn down this system and replace it.” The group’s website is not concerned with black lives, but instead discusses destroying the nuclear family. One would think that the group would focus on black-on-black violence, since it has left multiple children dead in the past few weeks and 93% of violent black deaths are from such violence. However, CNN’s Don Lemon says that BLM does not care about those black lives.
Harlow then pressed Engelbert about whether Loeffler should still be an owner: "Do you support her continued ownership -- co-ownership of the Atlanta Dream?"
She then outrageously compared Loeffler to Sterling:
But this is your first year as commissioner and we all remember what Adam Silver did in his first year as commissioner and -- and -- and based on Donald Sterling's racist remarks and the reason I bring that up is because there are current players, like New York Liberty point guard Layshia Clarendon who said that this is your league's, you know, Donald Sterling moment or retired NBA player and coach Alex English who said this is a bad look for the WNBA and he said Donald Sterling vibes. Are they right? Is this your -- is this the WNBA's Donald Sterling moment and do you personally think Kelly Loeffler should maintain her co-ownership of the Atlanta Dream?
Despite Engelbert’s efforts to not be political, Harlow kept pressing and would not accept her answers:
ENGELBERT: So you know, the Senator has not served as a governor. We have a board of governors. She’s not served as a governor since she became a Senator, so since October of 2019. She’s no longer involved in the day-to-day business of the team. And again, we believe the WNBA platform, I mean, what the players want to focus on and I know some of them have spoken out but they want to focus on getting owners in who otherwise are supporting what they stand for and that's what we're working on.
HARLOW: Okay, I -- I -- I know she, as -- as Layshia has pointed out, still co-governs the team and I -- I guess I ask because there are companies and PACS that have donated to her that are not going to anymore, for example, Boston Scientific. So at this point just a final word on her ownership. Is it something that you -- you support at this point or do you not believe that she should be a co-owner of the team.
Apparently it is now racist to accurately call out BLM's extreme revolutionary agenda using the radical group's own words. CNN is actively covering up the truth and trying to silence anyone who reveals the disturbing facts.
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Read the full July 16th transcript here:
CNN New Day
07/16/20
10:31:37 AM
POPPY HARLOW: Okay. So when you -- when -- let's talk about what you've dedicated this -- this season to that's about to begin in just over a week and that is social justice, opening weekend is going to be a --a weekend to affirm and focus on the Black Lives Matter movement. Warmup gear will have that written on it. You've had players, star players, including Maya Moore and Renee Montgomery, step away from the league just to work solely on social justice. Tell me why you as commissioner, in your first year, made this choice?
CATHY ENGELBERT (COMISSIONER OF THE WNBA): Yeah, I think the players, what I've been so impressed with, and I'll be here a year tomorrow, that the players have always taken a lead here on social justice and I think as a league we've supported and stood by them on the causes that matter the most. So as commissioner, I'm committed to making sure this season is about what the players want to advocate for and we have worked hard with them around making sure Black Lives Matter and the players in the WNBA have, you know, platforms in a time when there is so much injustice and inequality in society and they have a long history whether it's fighting for gender equality or opioid awareness or prison reform. Like you mentioned, Maya taking off two years, she was the reigning MVP a few years ago, to fight the criminal justice system. So this movement, I think I'm very proud of the players, and so we kind of turned -- coined it the WNBA justice movement and the creation of a social justice council and the players are really looking forward to dedicating the season and actually getting to the good work of -- of implementing change here.
HARLOW: Two-thirds of -- of the league’s players in fact are black, yet Georgia Republican Senator Kelly Loeffler, who is a co-owner of the Atlanta Dream, she sent you a letter and a lot of us have read it at this point. And she -- she accused you Cathy of inserting a political platform into the league and then she said this on Fox News.
[Cuts to video]
SENATOR KELLY LOEFFLER (R-GA): The WNBA has embraced the Black Lives Matter political organization. This is a very divisive organization based on Marxist principles. This week they threatened to burn the system down literally and figuratively if they don't get what they want. I mean, this is an organization that you know, seeks to destroy American principles, and I had to draw the line.[Cuts to live]
HARLOW: What do you think when you hear that?
ENGELBERT: So I -- I'll just share. I was surprised to receive the letter from Kelly. From the short time I've known her, not being in the league more than a year and even have seen public statements since prior to joining my league, she’s been very supportive of women's issues, of women’s empowerment, has been very interested in her -- her players and what they stand for. You know, from what I understand, having played basketball herself, she wanted to help grow and support the league, so I -- I was surprised to receive it, but obviously as I just said as commissioner I'm committed to making sure that the players' platform to vigorously advocate for social justice is what -- what we're dedicating this season to.
HARLOW: Well, you know, she went on to say in -- in an op-ed in The Daily Caller, the left is lashing out at me. They want to silence me and take away my business. I'm not going to bow down to the woke mob. Do you support her continued ownership -- co-ownership of the Atlanta Dream?
ENGELBERT: You know, I think obviously we review all of our owners' public statements but, you know, we are aware that there are interested parties who want to purchase the team, and so I -- I know that's being worked on, but, again, you know, I can't really comment --HARLOW: But --
ENGELBERT: -- on everything that’s said in the political environment.
HARLOW: But -- I -- I -- no -- I -- I hear you, you're in a tough position, Kathy. But this is your first year as commissioner and we all remember what Adam Silver did in his first year as commissioner and -- and -- and based on Donald Sterling's racist remarks and the reason I bring that up is because there are current players, like New York Liberty point guard Layshia Clarendon who said that this is your league's, you know, Donald Sterling moment or retired NBA player and coach Alex English who said this is a bad look for the WNBA and he said Donald Sterling vibes. Are they right? Is this your -- is this the WNBA's Donald Sterling moment and do you personally think Kelly Loeffler should maintain her co-ownership of the Atlanta Dream?ENGELBERT: So you know, the Senator has not served as a governor. We have a board of governors. She’s not served as a governor since she became a Senator, so since October of 2019. She’s no longer involved in the day-to-day business of the team. And again, we believe the WNBA platform, I mean, what the players want to focus on and I know some of them have spoken out.
HARLOW: Yeah.
ENGELBERT: But they want to focus on getting owners in who otherwise are supporting what they stand for and that's what we're working on.
HARLOW: Okay, I -- I -- I know she, as -- as Layshia has pointed out, still co-governs the team and I -- I guess I ask because there are companies and PACS that have donated to her that are not going to anymore, for example, Boston Scientific. So at this point just a final word on her ownership. Is it something that you -- you support at this point or do you not believe that she should be a co-owner of the team.
ENGELBERT: Yeah, again, we are not going to force her to sell her ownership. She is not a current governor. She is not involved in the day-to-day and we are aware there are interested parties who want to purchase the team.
