(LifeSiteNews) — Missouri Attorney General (AG) Andrew Bailey is demanding that Kansas City hand over communications related to its X (formerly Twitter) post on Wednesday that doxxed traditional Catholic NFL kicker Harrison Butker after he gave a pro-Catholic, pro-family commencement speech.
A few X users have shared screenshots of a since-deleted post from the Kansas City X account which read, “Just a reminder that Harrison Butker lives in the City of [redacted].”
The Kansas City X account thereafter posted, “We apologi[ze] for our previous tweet. It was shared in error.”
Conservative Christian apologist Chase (“Sovereign Brah”) replied to this post, “That was not an error. Someone on your team intentionally doxxed Harrison Butker’s home location, in the hopes that it would endanger Harrison Butker and his family, all because you didn’t like what he said in his speech. You need to identify whoever did that and fire them.”
On Thursday, AG Bailey announced on X that his “office is demanding accountability” after the Kansas City social media account doxxed Butker “for daring to express his religious beliefs.”
BREAKING: My office is demanding accountability after@KansasCity doxxed @buttkicker7 last night for daring to express his religious beliefs.
I will enforce the Missouri Human Rights Act to ensure Missourians are not targeted for their free exercise of religion.
Stay tuned.
— Attorney General Andrew Bailey (@AGAndrewBailey) May 16, 2024
On Friday, Bailey shared a letter directed to Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas in which he accused the Kansas City office of retaliating against Butker for “expressing his sincerely held religious beliefs” in a commencement speech, arguing that this “amounts to discriminatory behavior that is not tolerated under our Constitution or Missouri statute.”
READ: Bishop Strickland, Archbishop Cordileone defend Harrison Butker amid onslaught of media attacks
The attorney general referenced his demand that the mayor “immediately turn over his office’s communications relating to this post,” which he announced in a press release. He further invoked Missouri’s Human Rights Act, which “prohibits government actors from discriminating against citizens because of their sincerely held religious beliefs.”
Bailey also alluded to the efforts to have the Kansas City Chiefs drop Butker from the team as a “disciplinary action against him.”
“To any employer or government official considering such a move, I assure you that I am prepared to use the authority provided in the statute to defend the principle of free religious expression,” wrote Bailey.
A Change.org petition that was launched to have Butker dismissed from the Chiefs accuses Butker of making so-called “sexist, homophobic, anti-trans, anti-abortion and racist” remarks.
In his commencement address to the Catholic Benedictine College, Butker denounced “gay pride” month, the “murder of innocent babies” in abortion, and recent legislation that considers “claims of Jews killing Jesus” as an example of “classic antisemitism.” While his remarks were considered controversial by leftists, they merely reflect standard, long-held Christian beliefs.
Butker also celebrated the fact that his wife has embraced the role of “homemaker” and even – emotionally – attributed his success in part to this.
He acknowledged during his speech that holding to Catholic beliefs is “counter-cultural” and has always drawn persecution. “Our Lord along with countless followers were all put to death for their adherence to [Church] teachings.”
READ: LifeSite petition supporting Harrison Butker soars past 10k signatures in less than 24 hours
“The world around us says that we should keep our beliefs to ourselves whenever they go against the tyranny of diversity, equity and inclusion,” Butker said, predicting the backlash to his own comments.
NFL senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer Jonathan Beane distanced the NFL from Butker’s remarks in a statement precisely because they were, allegedly, contrary to the principle of “inclusion.”
“His views are not those of the NFL as an organization. The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger,” he said.
LifeSiteNews has reported on the many professional accolades Butker has earned during his career. A three-time Super Bowl champion, he has kicked game-tying and game-winning field goals in multiple high-pressure playoff games. He currently holds the record with most field goals (nine) in the Super Bowl. His career 89.1 percent conversion rate makes him the second most accurate kicker in league history.
A devout Catholic who exclusively attends the Latin Mass, Butker, who is only 28, was signed by the Chiefs in 2017 after being waived by the Carolina Panthers. The franchise won its third Super Bowl in five years in 2024. He has constantly given “glory to God” after his many impressive performances.