Giants Issue Statement on Owner Charles Johnson Donating to PAC Behind Racist Ad

The San Francisco Giants and co-owner Charles Johnson issued statements regarding his donation to a political action committee that recently ran a racist radio ad in Arkansas. 

With regard to Johnson's donation, the Giants released the following statement:

"The Giants' reputation as one of the most inclusive and socially engaged professional sports teams in the nation speaks for itself. We are unaware of Mr. Johnson's political donations because they are entirely separate from his stake in the Giants ownership group. In no way do the Giants condone this disturbing and divisive political activity."

Johnson also released a statement on the matter, saying, "I had absolutely no knowledge that this donation would be used in this manner and I, like the Giants organization, strongly condemn any form of racism and in no way condone the advertisement that was created by this entity."

According to Sarah Ravani of SFGate.com, Johnson donated $1,000 to a super PAC called Black Americans for the President's Agenda over the summer.

In the radio ad, two women urge voters to vote Republican after saying that "white Democrats will be lynching black folk again."

One of the women in the ad also said, "We can't afford to let white Democrats take us back to bad old days of race verdicts, life sentences and lynchings when a white girl screams rape."

Arkansas congressional candidates French Hill and Clarke Tucker both condemned the radio spot since its airing.

The 85-year-old Johnson has been part of the Giants' ownership group since 1992 and became known as the principal owner in 2011.