Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank responds to Georgia's election reforms
ATLANTA - Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United Owner Arthur Blank said Tuesday afternoon he believes voting should be made "easier, not harder for every eligible citizen" and his business and non-profit partners plan to support efforts to advance voting access.
In a statement released on the Mercedes-Benz Stadium Twitter account, attributed to Blank, he said Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation leadership conveyed his sentiment directly to state officials in recent weeks.
Blank's statement did not specify any initiatives or call any elected officials or political parties by name.
RELATED: Georgia Secretary of State calls many election changes 'solid'
A study by ESPN and FiveThirtyEight in October 2020 showed Blank is a bipartisan contributor to political campaigns but contributed more to Democratic candidates from 2012 to 2020.
The statement came about five days after Gov. Brian Kemp signed SB 202 into law. Kemp and the law's backers said it provides some common-sense reforms to ensure elections are secure. Opponents of the bill argue it's too restrictive and targets minority voters.
ELECTIONS LAW RESPONSE:
- Cobb leader says moving MLB All-Star game in protest would hurt business
- Democrats dispute police report in Georgia lawmaker’s arrest
- Civil rights groups file new lawsuit over Georgia voting law
The perceived line between politics and sports further blurred when Major League Baseball's union chief said players are ready to discuss moving the 2021 MLB All-Star Game out of Truist Park. Organizations also called to move The Masters, which begins April 8.
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