NFL team owner Bob McNair took back a $10,000 donation last week from a campaign to repeal Houston’s nondiscrimination law after the group attributed statements to him that he doesn’t believe in.
“To my great dismay, Campaign for Houston made numerous unauthorized statements about my opposition to HERO in print, broadcast, and social media — including attributing certain statements of belief to me,” the Houston Texans owner said in a statement Friday after he suffered a week of scorching criticism over the gift.
“Their actions and statements were never discussed with nor approved by me,” he continued. “Therefore I instructed the campaign to return my contribution.”
A source familiar with the situation told BuzzFeed News that McNair canceled the check last week before it was deposited.
Campaign for Houston and its spokesman, Jared Woodfill, have focused their talking points, mailers, and commercials predominately on stoking fear that transgender sex predators will use the law to prowl women’s restrooms and attack young girls. Facebook posts and other statements have said that was McNair’s motivation for contributing:
The Houston Equal Rights Ordinance, which goes before voters in a ballot referendum on Nov. 3, makes it illegal to discriminate against a wide array of people in places of housing, employment, and public accommodations. Houston officials have said the law would not change the laws against predatory behavior in bathrooms.
Neither Campaign for Houston nor Woodfill replied to requests for comment from BuzzFeed News.
