Report: Clevenger compared Black Lives Matter to KKK in Facebook post
Steve Clevenger, the Seattle Mariners catcher suspended by the team for a pair of controversial tweets that were viewed by some as being racially insensitive, expressed similar controversial viewpoints in a post on what's purported to be his since-deleted Facebook account, according to information obtained by Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
A supposed friend of Clevenger's, who requested anonymity, provided Nightengale with a screenshot of a Facebook post from August in which the 30-year-old called the Black Lives Matter movement "a racial group no different from the KKK." Clevenger went on to express his distaste for "trash" supporters of BLM.
Warning: Post contains offensive language
(Courtesy: USA Today Sports)
The anonymous friend and a second unnamed person close to Clevenger who confirmed the authenticity of the screenshot both told Nightengale they'd been concerned the post would "get him in trouble" if made public.
Clevenger found himself in hot water after a pair of controversial tweets that called both the BLM movement and President Barack Obama "pathetic" were unearthed and shared on social media Thursday night. He issued an apology and deleted the tweets later that evening.
Related: Clevenger apologizes for 'ill-worded' tweets about Obama, BLM
The six-year veteran, who's been on the disabled list since June, was suspended by the Mariners for the remainder of the season without pay on Friday.