Sen Dianne Feinstein Calls It: If An NFL Player is Arrested They Should Be Suspended

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Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) called out the recent spate of stunning violence by NFL players on CBS’ Face the Nation Sunday.

The Democratic Senator said that players have to set an example for the rest of society and if a player is arrested, they should be suspended, referencing the fact that the San Fransisco 49ers decided to play defensive end Ray McDonald even after he was arrested on suspicious of felony domestic violence for assaulting his pregnant fiancée.

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Asked about her reaction to the 49ers decision to play Ray McDonald even after his arrest, Senator Feinstein said the women in the Senate were going to do something about it, “I think I can speak for all of the women in the senate Senate by saying we’re very surprised, amazed and resolute to do something about it.”

“There’s no place for this kind of violence,” Feinstein continued. “I believe very strongly that if a player is arrested, they should be suspended and if they are convicted that ends it. Now I know there are contracts, but this has gone on too long. It is getting too bad. And this team, these teams have to set an example for the rest of society. Football is a major sport.”

“But there has to be a strength in the league and they have to project a value of what’s right or wrong, and to let players continue to play after they’ve been convicted of what would be a felony, I think is a huge mistake,” the California Democrat said.

Female Senators are not alone in their call to fix the problem in the NFL, as days ago House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi criticized her home team of the 49ers for putting football ahead of sending the right message that partner assault will not be tolerated.

Mercury News reported at the time that the police said that an investigation found that “the domestic violence allegation was substantiated.”

The NFL is a non-profit with an anti-trust exemption and is thus supposedly subject to oversight from Congress. There are many reasons why Congress never takes action against the very popular league, not the least of which is the confluence of interest between DC and the NFL. Power begets power and protects power.

And just to ensure that, over the past two election cycles (2012 and 2014) the NFL’s PAC and individuals donated an estimated $1.4 million to members of Congress, according to Open Secrets. Their top candidate recipient in 2014 is Senator Mitch McConnell.

The NFL’s lobbyists are also very busy tossing money around DC.

It always comes back to money and power getting cozy in politics so they can buy the lack of oversight that best benefits their profits. It’s reprehensible that the majority of politicians who frequently refer to “family values” continue to ignore the epidemic of violence against women and children in a league they oversee. Senator Feinstein is right — values matter. This isn’t right; it’s shameful.

Sarah Jones

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