Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is "blasting the NFL for raising the prospect that Texas' so-called 'bathroom bill' could impact future events in the state -- wading into a debate he has so far mostly steered clear of," according to Patrick Svitek of the TEXAS TRIBUNE. Abbott yesterday said, "The NFL is walking on thin ice right here. The NFL needs to concentrate on playing football and get the heck out of politics." Almost a week after Houston hosted Super Bowl LI, NFL VP/Communications Brian McCarthy in a statement said proposals that are "discriminatory or inconsistent with our values" would "certainly be a factor" for considering future events in Texas. Abbott, making a radio appearance on "The Glenn Beck Program," said, "For some low-level NFL adviser to come out and say that they are going to micromanage and try to dictate to the state of Texas what types of policies we’re going to pass in our state, that’s unacceptable. We don’t care what the NFL thinks and certainly what their political policies are because they are not a political arm of the state of Texas or the United States of America. They need to learn their place in the United States, which is to govern football, not politics." Svitek notes Abbott's remarks are "notable because he has taken a mostly neutral stance on Senate Bill 6." Abbott yesterday also "railed against NFL players who protested racial oppression last year by sitting or kneeling during the National Anthem." Abbott: "I cannot name or even count the number of Texans who told me that they were not watching the NFL" (TEXASTRIBUNE.org, 2/14).
STILL A STALEMATE IN NORTH CAROLINA: In Charlotte, Morrill & Jarvis note North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper yesterday "offered what he called a 'common-sense compromise' to repeal" the state's controversial HB2 bathroom law, but it "quickly drew fire from the law’s supporters -- and critics." Cooper said that it was "'urgent' to repeal the law, citing decisions the NCAA is expected to make in the next few days or weeks to select venues for championship events over the next six years." Cities and schools in the state have "proposed 133 venues for NCAA events." The NBA this weekend hosts the All-Star Game in New Orleans after it "moved the game from Charlotte because of HB2" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 2/15).
