Republican Lawmakers Demand WNBA ‘Accountability’ Over ‘Civil Rights’ Violations Of Caitlin Clark

Eleven Republican members of Congress, led by Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas), sent a letter to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert on Wednesday demanding the league take “accountability” for what they described as repeated physical attacks on Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark.

Pfluger, chairman of the Republican Study Committee, wrote that Clark — “the face of your league” — has been “hip-checked, poked in the eye, and struck in the throat during games,” incidents he said “go far beyond routine physical play” while the WNBA “and its officiating members have too often failed to address” them, according to the letter posted on the committee’s website. The lawmakers said they were also concerned by reports that “many of these attacks against Caitlin Clark may be racially motivated.”

The letter warned that if the league doesn’t act, it could face scrutiny from the Department of Justice, the Department of Labor or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission over potential violations of federal civil rights law. Lawmakers gave Engelbert until July 24 to answer questions about the league’s review process for on-court physical hostility, how players are held accountable for aggressive fouls, and what steps are being taken to curb online harassment of players, ESPN reported.

Co-signers included Reps. Erin Houchin, Marlin Stutzman and Victoria Spartz of Indiana, Diana Harshbarger, Tim Burchett and John Rose of Tennessee, Zach Nunn of Iowa, Mark Alford of Missouri, Sheri Biggs of South Carolina and Pete Sessions of Texas.

“If it were not for Caitlin Clark the WNBA would still be irrelevant and possibly even defunct,” Stutzman said in a statement accompanying the letter. Burchett said the league’s “failure to act on these concerning incidents shows an indifference, or active disregard, for civil rights protections.”

The Fever said in a statement Wednesday that they had no advance knowledge of the letter. “Our organization or Caitlin has had any interaction with anyone in this congressional group, and we were unaware of their letter,” the team said, that it has been “clear” in its dialogue with the league about player safety.

The letter follows a June 24 incident in which Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas struck Clark in the throat during a game in Indianapolis; the play was upgraded to a flagrant foul 2 after review, and Thomas was suspended one game. Thomas later said she and her family received online threats and harassment. Clark condemned such harassment on July 3, saying “none of that is OK.”