Giants owner Johnson seeks Boebert campaign donation refund originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
For the second time in four days, Giants principal owner Charles Johnson released a statement regarding a political contribution he made in the run-up to the 2020 election, this time announcing he has requested that the contribution be returned.
Johnson and his wife, Ann, have asked U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert to refund the contributions they made to her campaign last September. Boebert was elected to her seat in November.
Boebert, a Republican and a QAnon supporter from Colorado who was elected last year, has come under fire for tweeting Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s location during the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol and disagreeing with police over metal detectors that members of Congress were asked to walk through before subsequent sessions.
The Johnsons each donated the maximum $2,800 to Boebert on Sept. 23, 2020.
"As I stated last week, I am appalled by the violence that erupted at the Capitol on January 6, 2021 and the destructive efforts to interrupt the certification of the 2020 Presidential Election," Johnson said in the statement released Monday night. "My wife Ann and I reject and denounce any individuals, candidates or elected officials who do not honor our constitution or who espouse or assist in violence of any kind.
"I have contacted the office of Representative Lauren Boebert to request a full refund of our contribution. I will continue to follow the ongoing investigation closely and will request refunds from any other individuals who are found to have engaged in similar behavior. And I pledge to do my part in helping to heal our nation and restore peace and respect in our democratic system."
Sports
Johnson, 88, owns the largest stake in the Giants, believed to be between 20 percent and 30 percent, but he has kept a low profile over the years. This is the second time, though, that he has asked for a contribution to be returned. In 2018, Johnson, one of the biggest donors among professional sports owners, asked for a similar amount to be returned from Mississippi Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, who had joked publicly about attending a hanging.
The Giants have faced backlash from members of their fan base both times, and this time also have seen it from influential members of the community. Christine Pelosi, Nancy Pelosi’s daughter, said she would leave the Giants Community Fund board if Johnson did not address the contributions to Boebert.
The younger Pelosi told The Sacramento Bee’s Marcos Breton: "We should all agree that violence has no place in public life. I appreciate the public pressure and concern that led to this. Thank you to Mr. Johnson and the Giants for their commitment to justice and healing."
