MLB umpire threatens "Cival War" if President Trump is impeached
Major League Baseball is investigating an umpire's tweet saying he was going to buy an assault rifle and warning of civil war if President Trump is impeached. ESPN obtained a copy of Rob Drake's tweets before he deleted them from his Twitter account.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said Wednesday the league would look into the tweets by Drake, who has been a full-time umpire since 2010. He posted the remarks before Game 2 of the World Series between the Houston Astros and Washington Nationals Tuesday night.
Drake tweeted about the ongoing House impeachment inquiry into Mr. Trump. "I will be buying an AR-15 tomorrow, because if you impeach MY PRESIDENT this way, YOU WILL HAVE ANOTHER CIVAL WAR!!! #MAGA2020," he wrote, according to ESPN.
The MLB is now investigating the matter and has contacted the MLB Umpires Association, a spokesperson told CBS News in an emailed statement.
The MLB Umpires Association issued a statement regarding Drake's tweets: "Rob is a passionate individual and an outstanding umpire. He chose the wrong way to convey his opinion about our great country. His posting does not represent the view of the MLBUA or reflect those of the umpires we represent."
Drake was not working postseason games this year.
This is the second controversy to mire the 2019 World Series that has nothing to do with baseball. MLB is also investigating the expletive-filled celebration of a player with a troubling history that an Astros executive apparently directed to a group of female reporters.
A Sports Illustrated reporter said Astros assistant general manager Brandon Taubman turned to the female reporters, one of whom was wearing a domestic violence awareness bracelet, and yelled: "Thank God we got Osuna! I'm so f***ing glad we got Osuna!" He was referring to pitcher Roberto Osuna, who was picked up by the Astros after he was arrested on domestic violence charges in 2018. Osuna received a 75-game suspension but assault charges were later dropped.