Major League Baseball (MLB) is investigating veteran umpire Rob Drake, who said on Twitter that he would purchase a rifle in preparation of a “civil war” if the House moves on to impeach President Donald Trump.
ESPN reported that in a Twitter post published and deleted on Tuesday, Drake wrote that he planned to buy an AR-15 “because if you impeach MY PRESIDENT this way, YOU WILL HAVE ANOTHER CIVAL [sic] WAR!!! #MAGA2020.”
Also deleted was Drake’s Twitter account, which was first deactivated before being wiped out altogether. The post was preceded by another message about the ongoing impeachment inquiry against the president.
“You can’t do an impeachment inquiry from the basement of Capital Hill without even a vote!” the 50-year-old umpire wrote. “What is going on in this country?”
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred confirmed to ESPN that the organization became aware of the Twitter post and would be looking into the situation.
Drake began working in the MLB in 1999 and has been a full-time major league umpire since 2010. He worked postseason games in 2010, and from 2012 through 2015. He was also on the crew at the All-Star Game in 2013.
Several weeks into the Democrat-led impeachment inquiry into Trump, some Republican lawmakers decided that they would no longer tolerate the process shrouded in secrecy. On Oct. 23, at least 30 House Republicans, including House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), forced their way into a closed-door impeachment hearing in a Capitol basement.
The Republicans have taken significant steps in pressuring the Democrats into adjusting their process of inquiry that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) formally launched on Sept. 24. Before entering the hearing in the House Intelligence Committee room, several Republicans criticized Rep. Adam Schiff’s (D-Calif.) approach to the inquiry and demanded that President Donald Trump be granted due process.
“The president is not above justice. But as you know, neither is he below it,” said Rep. Mark Walker (R-N.C.). “Facing your accusers, the ability to call rebuttal witnesses, cross-examination, the right to object to evidence and ability to attend hearings, depositions and interviews—these are basic standards that every American should expect, including the president of the United States who is currently being the target of an angry mob, a willing media machine, and a twisted version of an impeachment process that didn’t begin two months ago, that began day one of this administration. It is a sham and it’s time for it to end.”
NTD News reporter Ivan Pentchoukov contributed to this report.
