UFC boss Dana White should step down after slapping wife, California legislators demand
Tori Richards
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Lawmakers in California are calling for UFC President Dana White to step down following a viral video that shows him slapping his wife during a New Year’s Eve party in Mexico.
State Sen. Nancy Skinner (D) and Assemblywoman Cecilia Agular-Curry (D) of the California Women’s Caucus made the demand in a Jan. 9 letter to Endeavor, the company that owns the UFC. White is a conservative who spoke at the 2016 Republican convention, endorsing eventual President Donald Trump.
VIDEO SHOWS UFC BOSS DANA WHITE SLAPPING HIS WIFE
“Every day that Mr. White’s actions go unaccounted for, your silence becomes more piercing and troubling,” the letter said. “At this point, thousands of young men, women, and adults worldwide have seen the video of Mr. White striking his wife. We have also seen his apology. What we have not seen is any consequences for his actions.”
White later apologized for the incident, which TMZ reported.
“This is one of those situations that’s horrible, I’m embarrassed — but it’s also one of those situations that right now we’re more concerned about our kids,” he said. “I’m literally making no excuses for this thing at all. It’s never happened before. It’s the first time it’s ever happened. People are going to say what they’re going to say and it is what is. Whatever people say is deserved. I deserve it.”
White’s wife of 30 years defended his actions, saying it was out of character and never happened before. Anne White was seen slapping her husband first.
“Unfortunately, we were both drinking too much on New Year’s Eve and things got out of control, on both sides,” she said. We’ve talked this through as a family and apologized to each other. I just hope people will respect our privacy for the sake of our kids.”
Dana White has denounced domestic violence in years past, a point the lawmakers used against him in the letter.
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“The head of a major sporting organization cannot claim to be for the safety of women while a video of him striking his wife continues to circulate online without a response from you. The hypocrisy is astounding,” the letter said. “It is time to remove Mr. White from his leadership role, to allow him and his partner to get the help they need while reminding the world of what Endeavor stands for and that violence against women is not a conduct that you condone.”