‘Today’ Show Host Sheinelle Jones Taking Break From Show Over Family’s Health
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

January 26, 2025

‘Today’ Show Host Sheinelle Jones Taking Break From Show Over Family’s Health

The television host thanked her fans and 'Today' show family for their support during this time.

Sheinelle Jones, a popular host on NBC’s Today, has announced that she will be taking a leave of absence from the show due to a family health matter.

Fans became worried about Jones after she stopped appearing on the morning show’s third hour. She stopped on Dec. 18, leaving viewers wondering about her own well being. She first joined the show, co-hosting with Al Roker and Dylan Drewer, in 2014.

Over a month later, the 46-year-old has shed a little light as to why she decided to take a break from her on-screen profession. Jones posted the announcement to Instagram, expressing her appreciation to those who reached out during this time.

“I sincerely appreciate all of you who have reached out while I’ve been absent from the show,” she wrote. “I want to share with you that I’m taking time to deal with a family health matter.”

The mother added, “It’s not lost on me how lucky I am to have not only the support of my ‘Today’ show family, but to also have all of you. Your kindness means so much to me. I’ll see you soon.”

As for what exact health issue has occurred, Jones remained mum on the details. However, a source confirmed with People that it does not involve her intermediate family. Jones has three teenaged children with her husband, Uche Ojeh.

Despite this, the source disclosed that the health issue remains “serious,” leading her to step back from the daytime program. Jones had become a beloved face on Today, branching out to build her own brand that focuses on motherhood.

“Even while I was writing this, there were times that were really tough and I would be writing a chapter with Lucille O’Neal, Shaq’s mom, and she talked about alcoholism, and I’m going through my own thing and I’m like, ‘You know what? She was able to push through that and motherhood didn’t stop,” she told the news outlet.

Calling it a “love letter to moms,” Jones hopes the book will inspire mothers to keep going no matter the obstacles.

“And so I think you’ll find a thread at the end of this book. I hope it’s inspiring,” she added. “I hope people laugh a little bit. They may shed a tear or two, but ultimately it’s my love letter to moms.”

While fans will miss seeing Jones on television, she hopes to return to Today soon to keep captivating audiences.

RELATED CONTENT: A Dream Come True: TODAY Show Host Sheinelle Jones Performs Alongside Idol Janet Jackson


Stephen A. Smith, daughter
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

January 26, 2025

Say What? Stephen A. Smith Says He Feels Like A ‘Fool’ After Voting For Kamala Harris

Smith says he and others 'fell for the okiedoke' in immediately lending their support for Kamala Harris.

ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith appears to regret his choice for president, calling himself a “fool” for voting for Kamala Harris.

The sports commentator shared his thoughts while appearing on Real Time With Bill Maher on Jan. 24. During the conversation, Smith revealed that he and others should have thought more carefully before casting their vote for the last-minute Democratic nominee.

“Kamala Harris, who didn’t resonate during the primaries in 2020, couldn’t even get to Iowa, suddenly is the Democratic nominee. Then, you roll up to the convention in Chicago and everybody is like, ‘She’s a rockstar!’ So it’s like ‘How’d that happen?” questioned Smith, as reported by Fox News.

While acknowledging that he did vote for her, he said he and others “fell for the okiedoke” in doing so. “If you had a primary, the likelihood is she would not have been the Democratic nominee,” he added.  

On the other hand, Smith noted how Trump was able to relate to more Americans despite his legal issues.

“Here’s the deal: the man was impeached twice, he was convicted on 34 felony counts, and the American people still said, ‘He’s closer to normal than what we see on the left,’” he added.

Smith has shared similar opinions before. Since the election, he has remained an outspoke critic of the Democratic party. More recently, he stated that he was “glad” Trump won due to the Dems’ “manipulation” of voters.

“I think that in light of those results we have to look at this election as a referendum on the Democratic Party,” Smith told Sean Hannity days after the presidential election. “And America’s saying we’re not feeling where you are, we’re not feeling where you tried to go, we want no part of it, we’re not having it – and they made their choice and we all have to accept it,” he said. 

RELATED CONTENT: Man Dies Trying To Save Engagement Ring From Oakland House Fire After Rescuing Family

transgender, trans women, prisons
by Mary Spiller

January 26, 2025

Trump Signs Executive Order To Ban Trans Women From Women’s Prisons

Trump's order pushes for transgender women to be moved to men's prisons, but not for transgender men to be moved to women's prisons.

On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing federal prisons to place transgender women in men’s facilities as well as to stop providing medical treatments for gender transitions.

According to the New York Times, the changes are a large part of an executive order issued to restrict the government’s recognition of gender to only a person’s sex assigned at birth.

Trump’s order will notably overturn safety provisions protecting transgender women against assault.

As the Prison Rape Elimination Act states, “Males are not detained in women’s prisons or housed in women’s detention centers, including through amendment, as necessary, of Part 115.41 of title 28, Code of Federal Regulations…and interpretation guidance regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act.”

Trump’s executive order, “Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” requires transgender women to be moved, but not transgender men.

Trump’s executive order states, “these [transgender rights] efforts [seek to] to eradicate the biological reality of sex fundamentally attack women by depriving them of their dignity, safety, and well-being.”

The executive order will apply not only to prisoners but also to current immigration detainees.

Transgender rights advocates have been vocal that the change will put transgender inmates in severe danger.

“There will be rapes and physical assaults because of this policy. It’s also terrible for prison officials, who right now have the authority to use discretion about what makes the most sense for the safety and security of the facility,” Shannon Minter, legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, told The New York Times.

The new executive order is also reportedly vulnerable to legal pushbacks. There is a precedent in the federal courts for prison systems to be required to protect vulnerable prisoners, including transgender inmates. Federal courts have also ordered prisons to offer medical care such as hormone therapies to prisoners diagnosed with gender dysphoria in the past as well.

Currently, there are around 1,500 federal prisoners who are transgender women. According to the Bureau of Prisons, 15 percent of women in prison are transgender.

RELATED CONTENT: First DEI And Now Amazon Silently Removes Protective Policies For Black And LGBTQ+ Employees

Trump, Venezuela, President Nicolás Maduro, oil
by Daniel Johnson

January 26, 2025

Trump’s Late-Night Dismissal Of 18 Inspectors General Sparks Legal Concerns

Inspectors general function as independent watchdogs in various government agencies.

On Jan. 24, Donald Trump fired 18 federal government inspectors general, which raised concerns over potential corruption early in Trump’s second stint in the White House from progressive voices like Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

According to NBC News, the White House confirmed the report of Hannibal “Mike” Ware, the head of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency. Ware was one of at least 12 inspectors general who were relieved of duty by Trump.

According to an unnamed White House official, the firings were an attempt to eliminate parts of the Biden administration that did not “align” with the Trump administration.

The official also informed the outlet, “We’re cleaning house of what doesn’t work for us and going forward.”

Trump positioned the highly irregular firings as normal in comments to the media. They are not normal, as inspectors generals function as independent watchdogs in various government agencies. “I did it because it’s a very common thing to do,” Trump said on Jan. 25 aboard Air Force One.

He continued, “Some people thought that some were unfair or were not doing the job. It’s a very standard thing to do, very much like the U.S. attorneys.”

In a letter to legislators on Capitol Hill and the White House, Ware questioned the legality of the firings.

“At this point, we do not believe the actions taken are legally sufficient to dismiss Presidentially Appointed, Senate Confirmed Inspectors General,” Ware wrote.

In addition, he released a separate statement arguing that the removal of the inspectors general constitutes a significant threat to independent government oversight.

Ware cautioned that “removals inconsistent with the law are a significant threat to the actual and perceived independence of IGs.”

He continued, “IGs are not immune from removal. However, the law must be followed to protect independent government oversight for America.”

Mark Lee Greenblatt, who was fired from his position as the inspector general of the Interior Department, was blunt in his assessment of the dismissals to NBC News.

“The key question here is, who does the president appoint in the place of the IGs that he’s removed?” Greenblatt asked, in reference to the inspectors general. “We’re so-called watchdogs inside the federal agency. So does he appoint true watch dogs, or does he appoint lap dogs?”

Greenblatt continued, “If a member of the Trump administration is accused of ethics, misconduct or some sort of criminal violation, will the IG be willing to investigate that in a fulsome and comprehensive manner? Will they be willing to come to findings, negative findings, about that Trump political appointee?” Greenblatt, a Trump appointee during his first administration, asked NBC News. “That is the key question. That’s where the rubber meets the road.”

Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer was even more direct in his criticism of the firings during a speech delivered on the Senate floor on Jan. 26.

“Yesterday, in the dark of night, President Trump fired at least 12 independent inspector generals at important federal agencies across the administration. This is a chilling purge, and it’s a preview of the lawless approach Donald Trump and his administration are taking far too often as he’s becoming president,” Sen. Schumer cautioned.

RELATED CONTENT: Trump To Become 1st Felon In Executive Office After Supreme Court Rejects Bid To Postpone Sentencing

Birmingham, mayor, Alabama, Anti-DEI ,Trump
by Daniel Johnson

January 26, 2025

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin Warns Of ‘Alabama-Fication’ With DEI Rollbacks

"Americans are witnessing the 'Alabama-fication' of federal government," Woodfin said.

Randall Woodfin, the mayor of Birmingham, Alabama, criticized Donald Trump’s executive orders and compared them to what Alabama’s political leaders have been doing in his state.

According to 1819 News, Woodfin made the comparison during a recent appearance on CNN, and like previous criticism of affirmative action from Black Americans, Woodfin indicated that white women were among the primary beneficiaries of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

“Listen, the unfortunate part of this conversation of stripping DEI, Americans are witnessing the ‘Alabama-fication’ of federal government,” Woodfin said. “We’ve seen in Alabama, legislators create laws to get rid of DEI and the governor signing to law that removing DEI from colleges and universities and other aspects throughout the state.”

He continued, “And so we’ve seen this dance, and the unfortunate part is other Americans have to witness this at the national level. That being the case, we all know those who benefit the most from DEI are veterans as well as white women. And so DEI has always gone well beyond African Americans and other minorities. When you say you don’t want to have programs that support veterans, when you say you don’t want to have programs that support women, etc. What are you really saying? What message and who are you trying to communicate with?”

Woodfin’s comments regarding white women and diversity and inclusion initiatives are also supported by data, according to McKinsey & Company’s 2024 Women in the Workplace report, which states that women are underrepresented at every level of the corporate pipeline.

However, the disparity is worse for Black women and other women of color.

According to its report, it would take nearly 50 years for the representation of women to reflect their shares of the national population.

According to NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson, the Alabama law is part of the Republican agenda to return to the days of Jim and Jane Crow.

“The ongoing assault on diversity, equity, and inclusion is part of an anti-Black agenda that seeks to revert our nation back to a time where Black students and teachers were denied adequate access to the classroom. We refuse to go back,” Johnson stated.

Johnson was also critical of Trump’s executive order targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion, saying in a Jan. 22 press release that the orders placed a target on the backs of Black Americans.

“His (Trump) appalling executive order will only worsen America’s racial hierarchy and benefit the oligarch class. This executive order threatens public services that benefit all Americans; it’s an attempt to consolidate power and money to a few wealthy individuals. And poor and working-class people will pay the price.”

Johnson continued, “This is all part of a calculated strategy to redefine the role of government, privatize essential public services, and further discrimination. Elections have consequences and it’s clear that this election has put a target on Black America’s back.”

RELATED CONTENT: Unnamed And Unbound’: Black Voters Matter Launches Podcast To Challenge Trump’s Policies And Empower Black Communities

military, citizen, Japan
by Daniel Johnson

January 26, 2025

Pete Hegseth Confirmed As Defense Secretary Thanks To Vance’s Vote

Vance cast the 51-50 tie-breaking vote.

On Jan. 24, Vice President JD Vance broke the deadlocked confirmation of Pete Hegseth as the next secretary of defense with a vote in favor of his boss’s nominee. Hegseth was rejected by only three Republicans, former GOP Leader Mitch McConnell, and Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME). Vance cast the 51-50 tie-breaking vote.

According to CNN, Vance’s tie-breaking vote marked only the second time in American history that the vice president decided on a cabinet position. The first was during the first Trump administration when Mike Pence voted in 2017 to confirm Betsy DeVos as the head of the Education Department.

Hegseth’s confirmation was contentious, given the allegations of sexual assault, alcohol abuse, and financial mismanagement of charities for veterans, which he denied. Trump vouched for Hegseth, telling reporters he believed Hegseth would “be a great secretary.”

“We just heard that we have a great secretary of defense –- we’re very happy about that, we appreciate everyone’s vote,” Trump told reporters on Jan. 24, shortly before Vance’s vote.

According to The Washington Post, the dissent regarding Hegseth from Democrats hinged on his lack of management experience, previously espoused views that women don’t belong in combat, and his belief that international law and human rights work against the United States military.

In his first message to the armed forces, released on Jan. 25, Hegseth pledged to restore the warrior ethos, rebuild the American military, and reestablish deterrence.

Hegseth’s memo states, “All of this will be done with a focus on lethality, meritocracy, accountability, standards, and readiness.”

Mitch McConnell emerged as one of Hegseth’s more strident critics in the Republican Party, telling the outlet that he believes Hegseth failed to demonstrate that he had answers for the most pressing national security threats, including China.

“Mere desire to be a ‘change agent’ is not enough to fill these shoes. And ‘dust on boots’ fails even to distinguish this nominee from multiple predecessors of the last decade,” McConnell told the Post.

In a December phone interview with The New Yorker, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat and a Senate Armed Forces Committee member, described Hegseth’s nomination as “dangerous.”

“Much as we might be sympathetic to people with continuing alcohol problems, they shouldn’t be at the top of our national security structure,” Sen. Blumenthal said.

Blumenthal continued, “It’s dangerous. The Secretary of Defense is involved in every issue of national security. He’s involved in the use of nuclear weapons. He’s the one who approves sending troops into combat. He approves drone strikes that may involve civilian casualties. Literally life-and-death issues are in the hands of the Secretary of Defense, and entrusting these kinds of issues to someone who might be incapacitated for any reason is a risk we cannot take.”

RELATED CONTENT: Trump’s Cabinet And Administration Picks Reportedly Hinge On Loyalty

Martin Luther King, deepfakes, openAI
by Mary Spiller

January 26, 2025

MLK’s Family Responds To Trump Declassifying King Assassination File

Bernice King has requested Trump let the family see the files before they are released to the public.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the declassification of federal records related to the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., as well as the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy. The family of Dr. King has one request and asks that the president allow them to see the documents before they are released to the public, as per his executive order.

The executive order mandates that within 55 days, the Director of National Intelligence and the Attorney General present a plan for the “full and complete release” of records of King’s assassination.

At the time of the executive order signing regarding the classified documents, Trump said that after many Americans had waited decades for the release of the information, finally, “Everything will be revealed.”

Following the public signing of the executive orders, Dr. King’s daughter, Bernice King, took to X to make a statement about her father’s file, which was being declassified. She requested that Trump allow the King family to see the files on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. before they were shared with the public.

Bernice King wrote, “Today, our family has learned that President Trump has ordered the declassification of the remaining records about the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert F. Kennedy, and our father, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. For us, the assassination of our father is a deeply personal family loss that we have endured over the last 56 years.”

She added, “We hope to be provided the opportunity to review the files as a family before its public release.”


Jack Kennedy Schlossberg, a relative to JFK and RFK, took to X to slam Trump for an overly sensationalized executive order.

Schlossberg wrote, “JFK conspiracy theories—The truth is a lot sadder than the myth — a tragedy that didn’t need to happen. Not part of an inevitable grand scheme. Declassification is using JFK as a political prop when he’s not here to punch back. There’s nothing heroic about it.”

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was fatally shot in Memphis in a public assassination on a hotel balcony on April 4, 1968. The shooter was identified as James Earl Ray, but King’s surviving family has been seeking the truth about all the details of his shooting to this day.

RELATED CONTENT: Did Trump Troll DEI In Referencing MLK ‘Dream’ Speech At Inauguration?

Philadelphia, DEI, anti-equality
by Daniel Johnson

January 26, 2025

Rutgers University Cancels HBCU Conference, Citing Trump’s Anti-DEI Executive Order

Rutgers reportedly has not been pressured by any state legislators to cancel its DEI initiatives.

Although an executive order is not a law, the University of Rutgers’ Center for Minority Serving Institutions canceled its upcoming virtual mini-conference scheduled for Jan. 30, citing the executive orders Trump signed targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

According to Inside Higher Ed, the center emailed individuals who had registered for the event on Jan. 23 to explain its decision.

“We were very excited to bring the HBCUs and Registered Apprenticeship Mini-Conference to you next week,” the email read. “Unfortunately, due to President Trump’s Executive Orders…we have been asked to cease all work under the auspices of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility HUB at Jobs for the Future, which the U.S. Department of Labor funds.”

As the outlet notes, Rutgers, located in New Jersey, a blue state, has not been pressured by any state legislators to cancel its DEI initiatives. However, higher education policy experts and advocates for diversity, equity, and inclusion have long predicted this kind of reaction under a Republican agenda.

According to Brendan Cantwell, a professor of education at Michigan State University, “That wariness and sort of pre-emptive compliance, even absent direct threats from the federal or state government, might be somewhat universal.”

The Department of Education, which Trump promised to eliminate at various points during his campaign, announced on Jan. 23 that it would take a series of actions against DEI.

Per their news release, “The Department removed or archived hundreds of guidance documents, reports, and training materials that include mentions of DEI from its outward-facing communication channels [and] put employees charged with leading DEI initiatives on paid administrative leave,” agency officials said. “These actions are in line with President Trump’s ongoing commitment to end illegal discrimination and wasteful spending across the federal government. They are the first step in reorienting the agency toward prioritizing meaningful learning ahead of divisive ideology in our schools.”

According to The Inquirer, Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway notified the university’s leaders that several offices had received stop-work orders for federally funded grant activities involving diversity, equity, and inclusion. He also reminded the leaders that the university is to “remain committed to building an inclusive community.”

Although Rutgers canceled its event, largely because the federal government principally funds the center, officials in other states indicated that it’s currently too soon to determine the exact impact of Trump’s executive orders.

Kate Shaw, the executive director of the Pennsylvania State Board of Higher Education, said in a meeting with the board on Jan. 22 that they are monitoring the situation.

“We are watching in real-time as the new administration is putting policies in place,” Shaw said. “I think it’s a little too early to know exactly what the parameters of those policy changes are going to look like.”

According to Vox, the orders from Trump targeting DEI mark a significant pivot away from 2020, when the high-profile murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor spurred companies to invest in diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.

They note that although legal challenges against some of Trump’s executive orders will be forthcoming, six members of the Supreme Court agree that affirmative action (in this instance, diversity, equity, and inclusion programs) amounts to discrimination.

According to Patrick Reis, Vox’s senior politics and ideas editor, “Progressive groups may challenge many of these actions in court, but they could face long odds, as the Supreme Court’s majority takes a dim view of affirmative action. And with Trump’s executive order promising more anti-DEI steps in the coming months, America’s anti-DEI revolution is well underway. The implications of that revolution will be felt in government, business, academia, and virtually every other faction of civic life for years, if not decades, to come.”

RELATED CONTENT: Federal Workers Could Face ‘Adverse Consequences’ For Not Outing DEI Colleagues

Kahleah Copper , Angel Reese , 3X3 League, basketball
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

January 26, 2025

Kahleah Copper Mentors Angel Reese After ‘Tough Finishing Night’ In New 3X3 League

Phoenix Mercury's Kahleah Copper is mentoring Chicago Sky's Angel Reese as they team up in the inaugural season of Unrivaled.

WNBA star Kahleah Copper is opening up about the mentorship she provided Angel Reese after a rough start in their new 3-on-3 pro league.

The Rose BC team has started in Unrivaled, a new 3-on-3 league co-founded by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, with a disappointing 0-2 record, most recently falling 79-70 to Lunar Owls BC on Jan. 18, Sports Illustrated reports. While Reese scored 12 points on 5 of 10 shooting from the field, she missed a few shots close to the basket, an issue she had during her rookie season playing for the WNBA’s Chicago Sky.

With Copper and Reese playing together for the Rose BC in Unrivaled’s inaugural season, Copper, a WNBA player for the Phoenix Mercury, offered some advice to help out her rookie teammate.

“The night before, she had a tough finishing night,” Copper shared on NBC Sports‘ On Her Turf. “I know how that feels because I play heavy at the rim. So coming off a heavy finishing night, it’s like ‘I need to work on my finishes.'”

Rose BC has played two games in Unrivaled so far. The nine-week league, which kicked off on Jan. 17, offers players an alternative to playing overseas during the offseason. It is hosted entirely in Miami.

After a rocky start, sports analysts are eager to see how Reese’s finishing skills develop under Copper’s mentorship.

“For her, it’s just creating that routine. So I’m telling her ‘Every day, we gotta work on your finishes after practice,'” Copper added of Reese. “What people don’t understand is that little bit that you do every day, that s*** adds up. So we’re just working on that every day. And then just being able to stay mentally strong, it’s very hard.”

Copper continued. “So just walking her through that and helping her understand that it’s not just you. I’ve been there. You know, you look at a player like, ‘OK, you’ve been there, and you’ve done the things that I want to do and would like to accomplish.’ So I trust that.”

RELATED CONTENT: Angel Reese Returns To The Court In Unrivaled 3-On-3 Basketball Game

Carmelo Anthony, soccer trial, Puerto Rico, invstment
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

January 26, 2025

Carmelo Anthony Gave Emotional Testimony In A $500M Soccer Trial

Anthony delivered a heartfelt account of his unsuccessful attempt to launch a professional soccer team in Puerto Rico.

Carmelo Anthony recently took the stand in a federal courthouse to deliver a heartfelt account of his unsuccessful attempt to launch a professional soccer team in Puerto Rico.

The 10-time NBA All-Star appeared in a federal courthouse in Brooklyn on Jan. 22 to testify about his investment in Puerto Rico FC, a professional soccer team he purchased in 2015 in the North American Soccer League. Anthony testified in the ongoing trial involving the NASL, the United States Soccer Federation, and Major League Soccer, recounting the three years he dedicated to building the team before operations were ultimately forced to shut down, The Athletic reports.

“I had an opportunity to revitalize the island, bring sports to the island,” Anthony said in court. “This was the route I chose to take to bring something back to my island.”

The trial stems from the NASL’s allegations that the USSF and MLS conspired to undermine the league’s ability to compete with MLS. According to the NASL, it was denied Division I and later Division II accreditation, ultimately leading to the league’s collapse. The NASL claims that the USSF had a vested interest in MLS due to Soccer United Marketing, the commercial arm of MLS that worked directly with the USSF.

USSF and MLS, on the other hand, contend that the league’s downfall was due to its business association with Aaron Davidson, a key NASL investor involved in the 2015 FIFA bribery scandal. They also point to the NASL’s failure to meet the necessary standards to qualify as a Division I or II league.

NASL attorneys brought Anthony in to testify in hopes of moving the jury and U.S. District Judge Hector Gonzalez with his testimony of the time, money, and resources he put into the failed Puerto Rican professional soccer team. The former Denver Nuggets player recalled his decision to partner with the NASL, the same league that housed the Puerto Rico Islanders, “the only team we knew,” Anthony said.

The NBA star was motivated to bring professional soccer to Puerto Rico, a native island to his paternal grandparents. But the team started in the 2016 fall season and was gone two years later.

Its progress was hindered by the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico in September 2017, which destroyed the team’s stadium and left many staff members and players without homes, Anthony shared. Despite the challenges, the team managed to finish the rest of the 2017 season, with some games relocated to Florida. However, its ultimate goal remained to play in Puerto Rico, but “we couldn’t go back to the island,” Anthony said.

Amid the stress caused by Hurricane Maria, the USSF rejected the NASL’s application for Division II sanctioning for the 2018 season, leading the league to suspend its operations.

“It was just destroyed,” Anthony said of Puerto Rico FC. “The fact that we didn’t get the sanctions –- that hurt us too.”

In its defense, Keisha-Ann G. Gray of Proskauer Rose, representing Major League Soccer, referenced Anthony’s previous deposition from several years ago. In that testimony, he stated that Puerto Rico FC was unable to return to the field due to Hurricane Maria, not because of the USSF’s denial of sanctioning.

However, Anthony shut down the defense, saying, “I didn’t get a chance to elaborate.”

The NASL is trying to demonstrate that the league’s failure was caused by the USSF’s denial of sanctioning, not by its inability to secure Division I status.

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