House Republicans absurdly ask WNBA to investigate fouls against Caitlin Clark

Sports admin July 9, 2026 0 Comments

House Republicans absurdly ask WNBA to investigate fouls against Caitlin Clark

The MAGA movement’s efforts to enliven white rage continue apace.

Ever since Caitlin Clark’s days playing college hoops for Iowa, many conservatives — including a bunch who seemingly have no knowledge of, or interest in, women’s basketball as a whole — have latched on to her as a cause célèbre, falsely portraying her as a victim of racist treatment during her nascent pro career.

A prime example of this came last summer, when The Wall Street Journal published an op-ed from a conservative activist who called for Congress, the Justice Department and the Labor Department to investigate fouls Clark has received on the court — on grounds that they have violated her civil rights.

On multiple occasions, Clark has touted the pioneering Black women who helped the WNBA grow, and she has rebuked racism from people — especially conservative influencers online — who have portrayed themselves as her supporters while trying to use her as a political lightning rod.

This includes remarks Clark gave last week, condemning racist hate speech and threats that have been directed at Phoenix Mercury star Alyssa Thomas after she was suspended for a hard foul on Clark. It’s easy to see why a true competitor, as Clark appears to be, might be embarrassed by this kind of racist coddling.

Nonetheless, 11 House Republicans have signed a letter to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert in which they contend that Clark has faced “repeated acts of unnecessary physical hostility and violence,” and baselessly claim that many of the “attacks” could be “racially motivated.”

“I’m putting the league on notice that if it keeps letting the violent targeting slide, they could find themselves facing a DOJ and EEOC crackdown for violating federal civil rights law,” Rep. August Pfluger of Texas said in a post on X that shared the letter.

Other signees include Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas, Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee, Rep. Mark Alford of Missouri and Rep. Victoria Spartz of Indiana.

This letter has to be in the running for one of the most petulant and pitiful documents ever signed by lawmakers. And to declare that the WNBA needs to address this nonexistent issue to help inspire “the next generation of female athletes” reeks of sexism.

To be clear, there’s no evidence Clark has been subjected to racism or a pattern of “unnecessary physical hostility and violence.” The WNBA has long been a very physical league, and it’s filled with white stars — including a bunch who are better than Clark — who talk trash and give and receive hard fouls.

This is not racism. This is not abuse. This is basketball. And people who don’t like it are free to watch golf or fishing if they so choose.

But more than anything else, the letter seems designed to stoke agita among white Americans, which appears to be a primary goal for Republicans during President Donald Trump’s second term. Over the past few weeks alone, we’ve seen top Trump donor Elon Musk promote a film that celebrates a homicidal white vigilante who kills immigrants. We’ve seen top Trump ally Laura Loomer suggest that the country may “need another 9/11” if it would force Muslims out of politics.

And now, Republican lawmakers are threatening to investigate the WNBA because they think a white hooper was fouled too hard.