Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling has been caught on tape telling his girlfriend not to publicly associate with minorities or to bring them to his games.
In nine minutes of audio obtained by TMZ, the team owner and real estate mogul is heard in an argument with girlfriend V. Stiviano over her friendships with minorities, particularly Johnson. The spat was apparently sparked after Stiviano posted a photo of herself with Johnson on Instagram. (Stiviano is of African-American and Mexican descent.)
Sterling asked why she was “broadcasting” her associations with minorities via pictures on social media, saying she should keep such things private.
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“Why publicize it on the Instagram and bring it to my games?” he asked. “It bothers me a lot if you want to broadcast that you are associating with black people.”
He went on to say, “Don’t put him [Magic] on an Instagram for the world to have to see so they have to call me. And don’t bring him to my games.”
Sterling is among the NBA’s most-polarizing owners and has been embroiled in a number of legal issues. His charitable foundation has settled lawsuits over housing discrimination against African-Americans, with the Department of Justice claiming he would not rent apartments to blacks or families with children.
In 2011, former Clippers general manager and NBA Hall of Famer Elgin Baylor lost a wrongful termination lawsuit against the team. He had alleged Sterling and team president Andy Roeser created a hostile workplace and forced him out because of his age.
A rep for the Clippers did not immediately respond to request for comment.
