GOP swing brickbats at Soros

Taking Soros-bashing to a whole new level, the Stakeholder reports that the GOP extreme are threatening harm to Major League Baseball if Soros succeeds, with partner Jonathan Ledecky, in a co-ownership bid for the Washington Nationals.

"I think Major League Baseball understands the stakes," said Government Reform Chairman Tom Davis (R), the Northern Virginia lawmaker who recently convened high-profile steroid hearings. "I don't think they want to get involved in a political fight."

Davis, whose panel also oversees District of Columbia issues, said that if a Soros sale went through, "I don't think it's the Nats that get hurt. I think it's Major League Baseball that gets hurt. They enjoy all sorts of exemptions" from anti-trust laws.

Unbecoming conduct for a public official at best, and a blatant abuse of political power at worst. Not to mention completely partisan considering Fred Vincy unearthed a list of Bush Pioneers who own or have owned teams. So what's next, a sleazy midnight amendment to some critical spending bill making it illegal for anyone but Republicans to own sports franchises?

Radley Balko, who pointed us to this story, sums it up the best.

It's despicable. Davis is making a public threat to sanction a private industry for doing business with a political opponent.

I agree with Radley, the guy should be stripped of his chairmanship and perhaps the voters could also reward Davis with front row tickets to the unemployment line at reelection time.