Dem Linda Sanchez Rips Republican Women For ‘Trashing Me’ Over Middle Finger at Baseball Game Instead of Having Her Back
California Democratic Congresswoman Linda Sánchez ripped Republican women who “trashed” her when it appeared she flipped off Republicans at the Congressional Baseball Game, instead of standing up against the heckler she says prompted it.
On Thursday night, Democrats and Republicans took the field at Nationals Park for the 57th annual Congressional Baseball Game, which benefits a variety of charities. The final score was Republicans 10, Democrats 0, but the comity of the occasion was strained at one point.
Rep. Sánchez, who represents California’s 38th district, drew a walk to lead off the 6th inning of what was then a 5-0 game in favor of the Republicans. She was then replaced by a pinch-runner, and as she trotted past the GOP dugout, cameras caught a scowl crossing her face, and an extended middle finger that appeared to be directed at the bench.
On Friday, Rep. Sánchez explained her salute in a statement to multiple news outlets. From Yahoo News:
Sánchez said the baseball game, which raises money for charity, is usually one of her “favorite events of the year.”
“That is why it really struck a nerve when I heard an offensive and misogynistic comment from the Republican side on my way back to the dugout,” Sánchez said. “In the heat of the moment, I reacted.”
“I have no tolerance for men who make women feel like they are unimportant or don’t belong — especially on the field. I will always stand against that kind of bigotry,” Sánchez continued in the statement.
Sánchez later clarified she wasn’t flipping off the GOP team, but a fan on the Republican side.
“It wasn’t the team. It was an obnoxious fan who shouts misogynistic shit at me every single year,” she told NBC News’ Frank Thorpe, adding “it’s the same guy” every year.
Asked what was said, Rep. Sánchez responded “I’m not going to dignify it with a response because it’s nasty and it’s crude, and it has no place at a charity baseball game.”
Q: What did he say?
SANCHEZ: “I’m not going to dignify it with a response because it’s nasty and it’s crude, and it has no place at a charity baseball game.”
— Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) July 29, 2022
She also tore into the outrage over the incident, telling Thorp “If the Republican women would have stood up and said that’s not acceptable instead of, you know, trashing me for my response then we might have a place where there’s no misogyny that’s tolerated by anybody anywhere.”
SANCHEZ: “If the Republican women would have stood up and said that’s not acceptable instead of, you know, trashing me for my response then we might have a place where there’s no misogyny that’s tolerated by anybody anywhere.”
— Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) July 29, 2022
Watch above via C-SPAN.
