Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey is following through on a promise to file a lawsuit against the city of Kansas City after Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker’s residence was revealed on a city-run social media account., According to Bailey, this was an act of “retaliation” for his religious beliefs.
Bailey said on “Outkick the Morning” with Charlie Arnolt that his office requested records and documents related to the management of the city’s social media accounts after a post on X last week revealed the city where Butker lives.
The post came amid a wave of backlash after Butker spoke out as a Catholic following a graduation speech at a private Catholic school in Kansas.
“We have requested from the city certain records related to the management of the social media account that poisoned Harrison Butker in retaliation for the free expression of his religious beliefs,” Bailey said in the episode that aired Thursday. I told Mr. Arnold.
“Let’s get this right: This is the government retaliating against an individual who expressed sincerely held religious beliefs. This is a clear case of violation of the law.”
Butker, 28, has come under fire after giving a commencement speech at Benedictine University. In his speech, he specifically referenced female graduates embracing their “vocation” as “homemakers” and President Biden’s stance on abortion as a Catholic. He also addressed the LGBTQ community in connection with Pride Month.
“At the end of the day, I support his right to free expression of religion. When you listen to what he said and actually dig into the words he used, this is a man of Catholic faith, speaking to a Catholic audience at a Catholic university, expressing his sincerely held religious beliefs,” Bailey continued.
“I’m always going to stand up and fight for athletes and people who want to express their religious beliefs and have that protected by the Constitution.”
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas addressed the controversy after the post was deleted last week, calling it “clearly inappropriate.”
“Earlier this evening we received a message from an official City account. This message was clearly inappropriate for a public account. The City rightfully apologized for the error and will be reviewing access to the account to ensure such content is not shared from public channels in the future.”
Bailey expressed concern that the investigation by the mayor’s office may be an attempt to shut down records from the attorney general’s office.
“In this case, the city is not going to stand in the way of our demands for accountability.”
Mr. Bailey called for those involved in posting the messages to be “immediately terminated and terminated.”
“We have requested specific records and documentation regarding how that account was managed, and we intend to investigate this matter and hold those who committed the wrongdoing accountable. Mr. Harrison Butker himself has also filed a lawsuit against the city. I think there is a cause for litigation, but I am deeply concerned that there are not enough controls in place to prevent the government from weaponizing it to violate individual rights.”
The mayor’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
