The next move in Colin Kaepernick‘s collusion case against the NFL could involve subpoenas against President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, according to a report.
Kaepernick and his legal team are expected to seek a federal subpoena to get testimony from Trump, Pence and other officials, Yahoo Sports! reported Thursday. The goal, according to the report, is to find out, via the Federal Arbitration Act, what Trump, Pence and those officials said in direct discussions with NFL owners about Kaepernick’s free agency and NFL player protests during the national anthem.
Kaepernick became the first player to sit and later kneel during the anthem as a way of protesting police brutality and racial injustice. He has not played for an NFL team since opting out of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers in March 2017 and is suing the league, claiming the owners colluded by not signing him to a contract.
While testifying as part of the collusion case, several NFL owners said in depositions that Trump factored into conversations about how to handle protests during the national anthem, The Wall Street Journal reported on May 30.
In his testimony, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Trump spoke with him about the anthem.
“This is very winning, strong issue for me,” Jones said Trump told him during a phone call. “Tell everybody, you can’t win this one. This one lifts me.”
The Journal also reported that Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross testified that New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft had also discussed the anthem with Trump.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Kraft are also among the people who have been deposed in the case.
While at an Alabama rally in September, Trump blasted NFL players who knelt during the anthem. He said owners should pull players who kneel from games and referred to a player who protested during the anthem as a “son of a bitch.”
NFL owners approved a new policy at the league meetings earlier this month that requires all players and team personnel on the field to stand during the national anthem. They have the option to remain in the locker room for the anthem if they choose.
If players or personnel on the field do not stand, the league can subject teams to a fine. Teams also will have the option to fine any team personnel, including players, for the infraction.
Source : ESPN
