Jesse Jackson threatens lawsuit in Little League World Series scandal

Rev. Jesse Jackson, the polarizing civil rights activist, is calling for Little League International to return the U.S. championship to the 12-year-olds from Jackie Robinson West, mere hours after Little League stripped the team of its title.

And if that doesn’t happen, Jackson said Wednesday afternoon, he may take legal action.

Jackie Robinson West — consumed in a vortex of allegations involving ineligible players and illegally redrawing its league boundaries — became a feel-good story in Chicago and across the country on its run to the Little League World Series. An all-black team that was supported by MLB players, Jackie Robinson West became U.S. champions before losing to South Korea in the international title game. Afterward, the kids from Chicago were celebrated from the World Series to the White House.

(The Star-Ledger) But Wednesday’s ruling, which followed months of allegations trigged by a neighboring Little League coach, vacated those wins, took away the championship and suspended the team’s coach.

Jackson expressed his dismay at the decision, telling the Chicago Sun Times that it drove him to tears. He then called for a Saturday morning “Reaffirmation of Championship” ceremony for the JRW players.

“There’s nothing these kids have done to have their championship erased,” Jackson said. “I hope the Las Vegas team will have the strength of character not to accept.”

Later, Jackson spoke at a press conference with members of the Jackie Robinson West team and Chicago pastor Michael Pfleger, who joined Jackson in telling Little League International to reverse its decision. They had no problem bringing up the issue of race. Jackson asked, “Is this boundaries or race?” while Pfleger (who is white) said, “I definitely believe racism is a part of this.”

Here are more choice quotes from the event, per Lauren FitzPatrick of the Sun Times:

“This is persecution,” Jackson says. “This isn’t right, it’s unnecessary and it’s unfair.”

— Lauren FitzPatrick (@bylaurenfitz) February 11, 2015

“The children in Las Vegas and their coach should not want to accept the championship they did not earn,” Jackson says. #JRW

— Lauren FitzPatrick (@bylaurenfitz) February 11, 2015

Rev. @MichaelPfleger calls the whistleblowing coach from Evergreen Park’s accusations “meanspirited and personal. ” Says league had options

— Lauren FitzPatrick (@bylaurenfitz) February 11, 2015

Jackson says legal action could be possible. First wants to meet with Little League officials and parents so parents can make their case.

— Lauren FitzPatrick (@bylaurenfitz) February 11, 2015

Meanwhile, Chris Janes, the whistleblowing Evergreen Park Little League coach and vice president, told reporters Wednesday after the ruling: “It’s tough, but the kids will be OK.”

(AP) Janes wrote a letter to Little League International months ago threating legal action of his own, if the organization didn’t look into his allegations. Then Janes campaigned to the media for months, trying to get Little League to re-examine where the Jackie Robinson West players lived.

Janes told DNA Chicago’s Mark Konkol that he’s been getting death threats and nasty e-mails as a result of Little League’s decision.

“We got about 50 messages,” he told DNAinfo Chicago. “I only listened to a few. Some were gibberish … saying things like ‘You’re an a——.’ A couple said, ‘You deserve to die.'”