Ripple effect of Butker’s comments continues with tiff between KC mayor and Missouri AG
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said statements made by Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey have contributed to online threats towards Black women employed by the city.
Lucas sent a letter Friday to Bailey expressing his concerns in the wake of controversies arising from commencement remarks Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker made Saturday at Benedictine College.
During the speech, Butker said one of a woman’s most important titles is “homemaker” and referred to LGBTQ Pride Month as an example of the “deadly sins.”
Many people were outraged by his comments and amid the controversy, the City of Kansas City’s official X account shared a message about where Butker resides.
The post did not disclose the football player’s address, but mentioned the area city where he apparently lives.
The post was deleted and the city apologized, saying it had been shared “in error.”
Lucas also apologized from his X account.
Commenters responded with racist language and by posting information about city employees.
On Thursday, Bailey posted that his office “is demanding accountability” for the city’s tweet and said he “will enforce the Missouri Human Rights Act to ensure Missourians are not targeted for their free exercise of religion.”
On Friday morning, Bailey shared a letter to Lucas on X in which he wrote that the city had attempted “to retaliate against (Butker) for expressing his sincerely held religious beliefs.” Bailey demanded that Lucas turn over records and communications related to the post.
In response, Lucas’ letter said Bailey’s actions had “directly contributed to the online harassment and targeting of individual Kansas City government employees.” Lucas said posts about the employees — who were not involved in the post about Butker’s residency — included the N-word, an image of a Black person hanging from a noose and threats.
Lucas urged Bailey to make a public statement denouncing the harassment.
The city has initiated a human resources disciplinary process regarding the person who made the post. That review is confidential.
Lucas and Bailey have clashed several times over different issues, including migrant labor and Kansas City Police Department funding.
This story was originally published May 17, 2024 at 3:29 PM.
