America First Policy Institute Investigates Enes Kanter Freedom’s Ejection

The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) has initiated an investigation regarding Enes Kanter Freedom’s expulsion from a Chicago Sky game and his subsequent prohibition from Wintrust Arena.

On Friday, AFPI submitted a six-page request for public records to the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, which manages the arena. This request was made on behalf of Freedom under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.

“Enes Freedom exercised his constitutional right as an American when he attended the WNBA game in Chicago,” remarked AFPI’s chief legal officer, Leigh Ann O’Neill. “Today, we launched an investigation to uncover important documents that will aid our mission to ensure that public entities are held accountable when Americans’ constitutional rights are undermined.”

Freedom Ejected After Verbal Confrontation

Freedom was at the game on Sunday between the Sky and Indiana Fever, sporting a shirt that proclaimed, “WOMAN noun. adult human female.” During a timeout in the third quarter, Sky guard Natasha Cloud came over to his courtside seat, prompting a heated exchange. Security then intervened, leading to Freedom’s removal from the premises after he approached the court.

The AFPI’s records request aims to clarify who manages access, security, and event operations at the public venue.

The request encompasses various agreements among the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, arena operator Oak View Group, the Chicago Sky, and the WNBA. Moreover, it seeks security policies, law-enforcement agreements, records identifying who authorized Freedom’s ejection, and details about the arena’s receipt of federal funding.

Freedom Requests Review and Refund

The MPEA identifies itself as a municipal corporation established by the Illinois General Assembly, with board members appointed by the state’s governor and Chicago’s mayor. They own the 10,000-seat Wintrust Arena, which operates through a partnership with DePaul University.

Interestingly, the records request does not in itself claim that Freedom’s constitutional rights were violated. AFPI is looking for documentation that could shed light on whether the actions of the Sky or arena staff can be linked to a public entity.

AFPI has urged the MPEA to retain any potentially relevant emails, text messages, and internal communications, while requesting that they provide records gradually. Notably, no lawsuit has been filed to date.

OutKick has reached out to both MPEA and the Chicago Sky for comments regarding this situation.