The skeletons in Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling's closet have been a poorly kept secret for years -- and now they're a matter of public record. According to the Los Angeles Times, Sterling and his wife have agreed to pay a whopping $2.725 million to make a federal lawsuit alleging housing discrimination go away. Although Sterling, who runs his real estate empire as competently as his NBA team, officially denies any wrongdoing, the fact remains that the settlement, once officially approved by a U.S. District judge, is projected to go down as the largest ever obtained by the Justice Department in a housing discrimination case.
Even if Sterling is officially allowed to save face by calling the settlement a business decision (a "compromise of disputed claims," according to court documents obtained by the Times) instead of an admission of guilt, it's still a black stain on the NBA -- and one it needs to address.
Given the recent uproar about Rush Limbaugh's failed bid to buy a minority stake in the St. Louis Rams, where's the outrage in Sterling being allowed to maintain majority ownership of the Clippers? The worst that Limbaugh was accused of is exercising free speech. But Sterling? From the Times:
If the NBA is so concerned about its image that it doles out fines to players and coaches who dare complain about referees (players and coaches often making the exact same observations made by television announcing crews calling the games), how can the league let Sterling's transgressions -- actions that not only create an uglier P.R. disaster but also have actual negative effects on society -- go unpunished?The Justice Department sued the Sterlings three years ago, accusing them of favoring Korean tenants while seeking to exclude blacks and families with children. Through their Beverly Hills Properties, the Sterlings own and manage about 119 apartment buildings with some 5,000 units in Los Angeles County, according to the Justice Department.
In court filings, Justice Department lawyers presented evidence that the Sterlings made statements "indicating that African Americans and Hispanics were not desirable tenants and that they preferred Korean tenants" occupy buildings they owned in Koreatown.
Several NFL players spoke out against Limbaugh, saying they'd never play for a team he owned, and at least one NFL owner said he wouldn't vote to approve him, but NBA players and owners have largely remained silent about Sterling's status. That's a shame, especially because the only difference between the two is that Sterling already belongs to the league's fraternity and isn't merely trying to gain entry.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Kind of strange that Rush isn't good enough to be a minority owner of a crappy team like the NFL Rams and Sterling is allowed to be the owner of an NBA team. The only way the Clippers will ever be a contender for anything but the NBA lottery is for the NBA to step in and force the sale of the team. Sounds to me the NBA was presented with a great excuse to dump Sterling. We don't need slumlords in professional sports.
The group bidding for the team, which submitted Limbaugh`s name as a publicity stunt, withdrew it, as a publicity stunt. The NFL didn`t reject him, whether they would have or not. He`s views appeal to some, repulse others, but they don`t change the color of his money.
Rush Limbaugh isn't smart enough to run a team or a radio show
thats y we has the largest listening base out of any radio program in the country and probably the world and also why he just resigned with clearchannel for 8 years and 400 million dollars.....whats your career, u should buy a team
why cant we say what we mean anymore what happin to free speech damn shame
so what, hes allowed to think and say that.. you got to be kidding me...
I cant wait until obama is out of office, what a joke. Ive just gotta bite my tongue, once he is out of office all the race baiters will go back to where they belong
Why is it when there is a discussion about anything, that some idiot always has to bring the president in the format. Why can't you just discuss the subject at hand? It does not matter how many followers Limbaugh has he's racist and that didn't start with Obama. He's been that way, but I agree he has the right to say what he believes whether it's true or not. But what really disturbs me are weak people who sit at a computer and make comments they would never say to anyone face to face. At least Limbaugh will publicly speak his mind.(for those like the people on here are afraid to do) Let us not forget Obamas mother was white and his father black. How racist is that? And for thechadd8851 it seems like the race baiters is the person that wrote the article and people like you.
Stating how one feels is fine, but not allowing someone to live at a certain place because of their race is wrong. That's what this is about, discrimination is still wrong in America and there are consequences for those whom discriminate. For this to even have merit, the prosecutors would have had evidence to show that the Sterlings don't allow and not prefer Blacks or Hispanics to stay in their properties. To allow someone to stay and then evict them for preaching contract, great, to now allow altogether, wrong!
RUSH CAN NOT BE A PART WONER OF AN NFL TEAM FOR RUNNING A SUCCESFULL RADIO SHOW?
BUT, STERLING CAN KEEP A MAJORITY INTEREST FOR VIOLATING FEDERAL LAWS AND SHAMEFULLY DISCRIMANTING OTHER RACIAL ETHNIC GRUOPS. IS THIS FANTASTIC? IS THIS NBA? IS THIS THE IMAGE MAGIC AND BIRD CREATED (THEY WERE ONLY JOCKS ON TOP OF THAT)?
IS THAT TRUE?
Why would anyone other than a Korean want to live in "Koreatown"? BTW, Sterling's team the LA Clippers is one of the most profitable teams in major league sports (extremely low overall player salaries and a large fan base means he doesn't really care if they ever win a championship). Most of you ppl open your mouth before you know anything about the topic, but you know what they say about opinions....