Three Senators Call For USGA To Leave Trump Bedminster

An unbylined USA Today story first reported the letter to the USGA. It's from Senators Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Edward Markey (D-Mass.) and Dick Blumenthal (D-Conn.) to USGA executive director and CEO Mike Davis.

The topic: the 2017 U.S. Women's Open.

“The decision that the USGA makes is more consequential than simply the geographic location of a golf tournament,” the Senators wrote in a letter dated Tuesday. “In declining future association with a brand that degrades women, the USGA and LPGA have an opportunity to make clear to the world, and most especially young Americans, that our nation will not tolerate nor do business with any company that condones or excuses action that constitutes sexual assault.”

The USGA does not want any part of the subject, in part for very obvious reasons: becoming part of the 2016 presidential election or upsetting a soon-to-be-president.

"During his presidential campaign, Mr. Trump has made some remarks that are at odds with our belief that golf should be welcoming and inclusive for all. We have reiterated for more than a year that we do not share his views, and that is still true,” the statement read. “With the 2017 U.S. Women’s Open less than a year away, our focus is still on conducting an excellent championship for the players, the spectators, the fans, and the volunteers."

“Beyond that,” Driscoll wrote in an email, “we simply will not comment on politics.”

Given that the players are not crying out to leave the venue and that Trump stands a chance of being elected, there is no incentive for the USGA to intervene at this time. However, where things get interesting: if Trump maintains a high-profile role post-election should he not be elected. If he somehow overshadows the biggest women's golf tournament on the planet, that would be unfortunate at best.

Comments

[Colin MacGillivray]

"upsetting a soon-to-be-president."
Hard to see how Mrs Clinton will be upset?

[AkronGolfMan]

Democrat, Democrat, Democrat. What a shock!

[Webster]

It's good to know that Dick Blumenthal can do more than spout fake claims about serving in Vietnam. What a grandstanding dillweed.

[Em]

Fuck

[MDC]

So three Democrats are speaking out against Trump. Thats shocking.

Funny I dont remember guys like Ed Markey speaking out against Augusta "way back" when they only wanted white men playing. Seems like a pretty convenient "outrage" in the runup to the election.

[Ted B. (Charging Rhino)]

Three Senators from outside of NJ....hmmmm.
Wanna-bet they'll each lobby (pressure) the USGA to move the LPGA event to their home state??

[D. maculata]

Yeah, Webster. True to form, they only admit they misspoke after being called on it. As CT Attorney General, Blumy would have sued his mother if he thought would lead to political gain. I submit an example of his brain power, giving a speech on railway safety while standing on the yellow line. You can't make this stuff up!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMnXxPOLBg0

[BSP]

Bill Clinton and John Edwards were not available for comment...

[Lynn S.]

BSP

Nor were the officials in the desert where Bill Clinton is involved with the PGA Tour's event.

[Middle West Pro]

The USGA AND the PGA of America need to unhitch their wagons from the Trump bandwagon.

I personally felt that it was a mistake to start working with him from the very beginning, way back when Trump spoke at the PGA's annual meeting in 2014. It was a rambling speech that was all about him and how all of his challengers in golf and business and life were wrong. It was delusional and terrifying.

[Scott]

Trump should change the name of his course to the Juanita Broaddrick Golf Club. That'd shut up Ed Mahhhhhkey real fast.

[Melvyn's Inner Demons]

Those brave men!

[BobbyG]

Colin Mac Gillivray: In your dreams.

Make America Great Again. Trump. Trump . Trump

[haha]

the senator from ct. comes from a state where the democrats cut funding to the disabled so that they could transfer that money to the illegals that they flooding the state with....that's how democrats show their compassion.. rigging elections...

[Dave]

I don't know how a course that is bordered by Interstate 78 on one side and has a country road bisecting it a couple of times gets the rating it does. You feel like you're playing golf on a rest area on an Interstate. Getting the USGA to commit to the course was probably a :pay for play" scheme.

[Keith - NYC]

Its a good thing Mike D and his little buddy Ralphie from St Louis dropped their freebie memberships last year before this thing heated up again....now they can let the eloquent Ms Murphy handle this one....hopefully sans chardonnay.

[Michael]

Now I understand all the hatred against Tiger Woods in the comments. Seems that mostly right-wing, bigoted, racist Trump defendants are commenting here

[Melvyn's Inner Demons]

@Michael - let me point you to your safe space: www.huffingtonpost.com

[Matt]

Geoff, you should go back to turning off comments.

[Herb]

Matt- it kills the pageviews

[BrianS]

Breaching a contract because they don't like the owner's political views. I'd like to be the attorney on that case, I won't be since Trump has plenty. My guess is the USGA does as well and their advice has been to keep quiet.

[Don]

BS,
Is saying you sexually assault women a political view though?

[thusgone]

when i hear that one about breaching a contract with Trump blah blah, i wonder what the contracts say and whether the poster has read them. i can imagine myriad provisions that might allow a boycott under the circumstances. i hasten to add that i have not read any of the relevant agreements myself.

[RightsaidFred]

Blumenthal is just mad because he can't get access to the military outpost tents with free food and drink because he didn't really serve in Vietnam like he said he did so now he has to pay for his food and drink.

[desert storm]

@ Lynn
Why don't you use your full name?

[Jonathan]

DS - Uhh? Did you just crawl out from under a rock?? Of all the posters here Lynn has to be the most "un-hidden"!

[Ray Rap]

Its great to know that our country health care is in shambles and this is what Democratic politicians are focusing on. Pathetic.

[Massachusetts Voter]

Markey, a former ice cream truck driver, should count his lucky stars to be living in this one party / third word state.

[Observer]

The LPGA women don't seem to mind.....so, why should you?

[Slight fade]

+1 " I don't know how a course that is bordered by Interstate 78 on one side and has a country road bisecting it a couple of times gets the rating it does. You feel like you're playing golf on a rest area on an Interstate. Getting the USGA to commit to the course was probably a :pay for play" scheme. "

[Herb]

Don-- there are those of us who are struggling between voting for a cad and voting for a woman who enabled her cad husband--who knowingly stood by while mostly average people had their reputations ruined, spent thousands in legal fees defending themselves after making truthful statements, and who will never (seemingly) be left alone.

So how bout we leave the whole ladies man thing out of it, ok?

[Trump is a loser .... SAD]

Good grief, trump is so toxic. Everything this guy touches ends up in ruins. Witness the current state of the Republican Party. Hilarious that anyone would think this guy would be good for anyone except me trump himself. And the ironic thing is that his brand building of trump inc. is getting destroyed from this run for the White House. Example scion brand and the D.C. Hotel debacle. The great white hope for the uneducated and the die hard right wingers is a farce of a businessman and human being. Say what you will about the clintons and a lot of lies have been said about them over the years but at least they show more than a hint of intelligence. Trump got absolutely destroyed by Hillary in the debates he unable to control himself over her very well thought out attacks on his personal weaknesses, witness his absurd twitter rants on the miss universe. Really? This trump guy acts like a 12 yr old girl most of the time. Your being hoodwinked. And sadly the golf world is kinda stuck with the loser, but like mark Cuban I believe his brand is toxic, and the golf courses will suffer. The LPGA players should boycott the event, but won't because their tour is desperate and sad. Probably less popular than the WNBA. Trump is a SAD pathetic figure a dying breed of old white men who think the 1950 was some sort of magical time. He ain't the answer to any problem cause all he does is create them with a vocabulary of less than 200 words, Mr bigly will lose.

[PG]

Could this signal a return to the Northeast? http://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/golf/article/New-sponsor-needed-to-keep-LPGA-tourney-at-Lake-10415854.php?ipid=gsa-sfgate-result

[Don]

Herb-
You grappling over who to vote for doesn't have anything to do with this.
It's whether or not the USGA still wants their brand associated with Trumps.
I think reasonable people could disagree on whether it's worth moving at this point.

[PG]

There will also be three new events next year, inc Scottish Open

[HBL]

My disdain for Trump and all that is Trump knows no boundaries but US Senators trying to pressure the USGA to move a tournament is just plain stupid. Let people like myself complain to USGA that we won't watch any tournament held at a Trump owned, operated or managed golf course. The USGA won't care but I'll feel better.

[Long Knocker]

I like the way the USGA statement makes a political statement about Trump (which wasn't true) and then says they are staying out of politics. Regardless of the particular circumstances here don't all of the ant-Trump bandwagoners see the danger in trying to blackmail legit business deals because of something some said? Do you honestly believe that is where we should go? There are also laws that make it a civil offense to try to induce parties to break a contract. Of course we know Democrats are not concerned with the law only exploiting the dim witted.

[Hardy Greaves]

If the USGA has to move the tournament, I vote for Monroe Golf Club. It is a great golf course, and the women seemed to enjoy it.