Andrew Bailey, Missouri's GOP Attorney General, has accused Kansas City officials of doxxing Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker after his divisive commencement speech and has pledged to hold the city accountable.
The controversy arose from a post on Kansas City's official X account on Wednesday evening, which read:
“Just a reminder that Harrison Butker lives in the City of Lee’s Summit.”
The post, published on X, formerly Twitter, was removed within two hours, and the account subsequently issued an apology, saying the information had been "shared in error."
The city's post came after Butker made national headlines for a misogynistic and anti-LGBTQ+ commencement speech criticizing working women, reproductive rights, surrogacy, and LGBTQ+ rights at the ultra-conservative Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas.
Not long afterward, Bailey wrote the following response:
"MY office is demanding accountability after [Kansas City] doxxed [Harrison Butker] last night for daring to express his religious beliefs. I will enforce the Missouri Human Rights Act to ensure Missourians are not targeted for their free exercise of religion."
"Stay tuned."
You can see Bailey's post below.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas also responded publicly, condemning the original post as “clearly inappropriate for a public account.” Lucas said that Kansas City "has correctly apologized for the error, will review account access, and ensure nothing like it is shared in the future from public channels."
Doxxing is defined as the process of searching for and publishing "private or identifying information about (a particular individual) on the internet, typically with malicious intent."
But Butker's residence is no secret.
As reported in a February 2023 article from The Stamford Advocate, Butker owns "a six-bedroom home in Lee's Summit that had been on the market for $550,000." The outlet noted that the 5,600-square-foot residence is located on a cul-de-sac and "includes a three-season porch, a primary bathroom with a heated floor, and a walk-out lower level complete with a second kitchen."
That Butker, a public figure, lives in Lee's Summit is clearly public knowledge—so Bailey's pledge wasn't the "gotcha" he might think it is.
The response from Kansas City officials as well as Bailey's overwrought reaction have only added to the controversy surrounding Butker, who urged male graduates to "fight against the cultural emasculation of men," claimed that "abortion, IVF, surrogacy, euthanasia, as well as a growing support for degenerative cultural values in media all stem from the pervasiveness of disorder."
Addressing women graduates directly, he added:
"For the ladies present today, congratulations on an amazing accomplishment. I want to speak directly to you briefly because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you."
"Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world."
Butker also claimed that he is "beyond blessed" because his wife Isabelle "would convert to the faith, become my wife, and embrace one of the most important titles of all: Homemaker.” He said her "dream of having a career might not have come true, but if you ask her today if she has any regrets on her decision, she would laugh out loud without hesitation, and say, 'Hey, no.'"
The football player also denounced Pride—a celebration of LGBTQ+ solidarity and identity as resistance to discrimination and violence—as "dangerous gender ideologies," further describing it as a commemoration of "deadly sins ... that has an entire month dedicated to it." He called on graduates to adhere to "the true God-centered pride that is cooperating with the holy ghost to glorify him."
Butker has not yet responded to the backlash but his employer, the National Football League (NFL), distanced itself from his remarks, saying his views "are not those of the NFL as an organization."
Additionally, a Change.org petition launched Tuesday to have Butker dismissed from the team for discriminatory remarks has amassed more than 183,000 signatures.
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