Woj’s F-bomb to a U.S. Senator proved to be prophetic today

In a response to hate crimes directed at Asian-Americans across the country, the United States Senate passed a COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act this afternoon by a vote of 94-1. And the “1” vote was brought to you by Josh Hawley, who ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said “fuck you” to last summer.

Hawley, a Republican Senator from the state of Missouri, criticized Adam Silver and the NBA for their relationship with China last summer and the profit that the league driven by mostly Black athletes drew. Hawley’s tirade pushed for “back the blue” and “support our troops” messaging in place of the NBA’s Black Lives Matter and overall social justice initiatives while in the NBA bubble. By now, reasonable people know that bringing up the China affiliation is merely used to divert the conversation from racial issues, not because those people actually care about China. But given the reported 94-1 vote, it’s no wonder Hawley claimed to hate the league’s affiliation with China so much.

You may remember Hawley from such other greatest (worst?) hits as ‘guy who saluted the insurrectionists,’ and ‘guy who voted against every President Biden Cabinet Secretary nomination because bipartisanship and stuff.’

Wojnarowski, by the way, was subsequently suspended without pay by ESPN, but his message from last July — sent from his iPhone — will always remain. And was damn prescient.