A minor league baseball team apologized to New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for a Memorial Day tribute video that sandwiched a photograph of her in between images of Kim Jong Un and Fidel Castro.
The Fresno Grizzlies said in a statement that the scoreboard video broadcast during Monday night’s doubleheader was supposed to be a moving tribute, but that it was not properly vetted by the team.
The pre-produced YouTube video “ended with some misleading and offensive editing, which made a statement that was not our intent and certainly not our opinion,” the team said.
Fresno Grizzlies on Twitter We’re embarrassed we allowed this video to play without seeing it in its entirety first. We unconditionally apologize to Rep. Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) in addition to our fans, community and those we hurt. It was a mistake and we will ensure that nothing like it ever happens again.
“We’re embarrassed we allowed this video to play without seeing it in its entirety first,” the team said in a tweet.
The video, titled a “Memorial Day Tribute – We Are Americans,” is filled with patriotic-themed images playing behind excerpts from President Ronald Reagan’s first inaugural speech.
At about the 3-minute mark — as Reagan says “As for the enemies of freedom, those who are potential adversaries … ” — the video shows a montage of the North Korean leader, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, and the late Cuban dictator.
“We unconditionally apologize to Rep. Ocasio-Cortez in addition to those we hurt,” the team’s statement said. “It was a mistake and we will ensure that nothing like it ever happens again.”
The Triple-A team is part of the Pacific Coast League and an affiliate of the Washington Nationals.
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