The governor of Texas threw a curve at Major League Baseball on Monday by taking the side of the people of Georgia — and every American who supports election integrity.
Only hours before the Texas Rangers’ home opener against the Toronto Blue Jays game was set to begin at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott informed the Texas Rangers he was canceling a commitment to throw out the ceremonial first pitch for the game.
Abbott made the decision to protest MLB’s decision to move this year’s All-Star Game out of Atlanta over new Georgia’s new voting law, according to WFAA-TV in Dallas.
In a Twitter post publicizing his letter to Neil Leibman, the Rangers’ chief operating officer, Abbott wrote that he had been “looking forward” to the pitch — that is, until Major League Baseball “adopted what has turned out be a false narrative” regarding “election reform laws in Georgia.”
“It is shameful that America’s pastime is being influenced by partisan politics,” Abbott wrote.
I was looking forward to throwing out the first pitch at the Texas Rangers' home opening game until @MLB adopted what has turned out to be a false narrative about Georgia's election law reforms.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) April 5, 2021
It is shameful that America's pastime is being influenced by partisan politics. pic.twitter.com/pNJApYBHpw