The phenomenon of politicians invoking LeBron James and his activism in order to project their own biases onto him knows no bounds. From the White House to local governments, politicians seem very comfortable using the name of LeBron James as a political football to advance their agendas. L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva became the lastest to use James’ name to push an agenda, bizarrely demanding in public that LeBron James donate $175,000 as a reward to help find the culprits behind two wounded police officers.
This odd and some would say, racist, choice by the Sheriff confused and angered many. Among those angered was Vanessa Bryant, the widow of the late Kobe Bryant, who took to her Instagram to call out Villaneuva for the ridiculous statements holding LeBron James somehow responsible for what happened to the officers.
The L.A. County Sheriff’s department is currently being sued by the Bryant family after multiple deputies allegedly were sharing photos of the crash site, where Bryant, daughter Gianna, and seven others perished in a helicopter crash.
