Two sponsors have dropped their support of a minor league baseball team over a video that described Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as an enemy of freedom.
Heineken and Sun Maid both dissolved relations with the Fresno Grizzlies after the team showed a video at its Memorial Day game labeling the New York Democrat as an enemy of freedom.
The three-minute-long video featured statements from President Ronald Reagan played over a series of patriotic images. When Reagan uttered lines discussing “enemies of freedom” and “those who are potential adversaries,” the freshman congresswoman’s picture was shown alongside dictators Kim Jong Un of North Korea and Cuban leader Fidel Castro.
“We do not support those views expressed in the video, that was aired during the Fresno Grizzlies game on Memorial Day,” Heineken told The Fresno Bee. “For that reason, we have ended this relationship, effective immediately and have let the team know of our decision.”
Heineken’s decision was confirmed on Twitter by both of its brands, Dos Equis and Tecate. The two statements reiterated that the views expressed in the video do not coincide with those of the company.
Tecate has always been about togetherness and we do not support the views expressed in the video, that was aired during the Fresno Grizzlies game on Memorial day. We have ended this relationship effective immediately and have let the team know of our decision.
— Tecate (@tecate) May 31, 2019
The Grizzlies apologized Tuesday “for not properly vetting the video” and for “the undue distraction on such a solemn day.”
