The advocacy group started by LeBron James is now seeking to have a California bill passed that would permanently remove any police officers while not allowing them to be shifted elsewhere if they’re dismissed for severe cases of misconduct.
LZ Granderson of the Los Angeles Times noted James’ organization sent a letter imploring legislators to pass the bill.
“More Than a Vote, the organization founded by LeBron James, Chiney Ogwumike and a host of other Black athletes and entertainers, sent an open letter to the California Assembly on Thursday imploring members to pass Senate Bill 2, titled the Kenneth Ross Jr. Police Decertification Act,” Granderson wrote.
The organization made sure to mention why the bill is so important to it.
“More Than a Vote represents many Black athletes who love playing in California,” the letter read in part. “Black athletes who love the culture, the people, and the communities that take them in as their own. That’s why this is so important to an organization like ours. These are the communities that nurtured, protected, and developed the athletes of More Than a Vote and allowed them to live out their dreams.”
The reason for that push is that California is on a short list of states that don’t have framework in place to decertify police officers. Just three other states are currently in the same category: Hawaii, New Jersey and Rhode Island.
In recent years, James has been a passionate advocate social justice issues, a push that’s given a good deal of focus to police brutality issues.
James has been especially vocal in discussing tragedies like the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, among others. Prior to that, he offered more subtle responses to similar events while playing for the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers.
