A large campaign contribution by Suns owner Robert Sarver raised eyebrow in March 2019. Now, a tweet by a former Suns official has not only caused a stir in Phoenix but may cause concerns for the NBA.
That tweet sent out by former Phoenix Suns General Manager Ryan McDonough this weekend involved an allegation that those contributions were bribes. Specifically, McDonough, who was fired from his post with the Suns in 2018, accused Phoenix City Councilman Sal DiCiccio of taking bribes from Suns’ owner Robert Sarver.
On August 28, 2020, McDonough tweeted:
The only thing worse than a crooked, racist politician who takes money to vote a certain way is a crooked, racist politician who STILL takes the money but DOES NOT vote that way…And before you reply, @Sal_DiCiccio, remember this – I was there – and I ‘have receipts.’
Both Sarver and DiCiccio vehemently deny the claim made by McDonough. In fact, DiCiccio has called on the Arizona Attorney General’s Office to investigate the issue.
DiCiccio, a vocal critic of the subsidization by taxpayers of professional sports teams, has rejected funding schemes for the billionaire owners for years including voting against funding for the renovation of the Suns home arena in 2019.
Listen to Councilman DiCiccio discuss the bribery accusation with James T. Harris of KFYI
Sal DiCiccio on being accused of bribery and the fallout for those accusing him to be exposed. https://t.co/cIQRZIMCZU
— James T Harris (@JamesTHarris) August 31, 2020
According to DiCiccio, McDonough’s tweet raises the question as to whether the Suns organization would have viewed their contributions as bribes.
DiCiccio raised significant questions as to the actions of the organization and former Councilwoman Vania Guevara, in his letter to the Attorney General:
Dear General Brnovich:
As the duly elected Councilman from District 6 in Phoenix, I request that your office investigate allegations of bribery raised by former Phoenix Suns General Manager Ryan McDonough.
On August 28, 2020, Mr. McDonough tweeted the following:
The only thing worse than a crooked, racist politician who takes money to vote a certain way is a crooked, racist politician who STILL takes the money but DOES NOT vote that way…And before you reply, @Sal_DiCiccio, remember this – I was there – and I ‘have receipts.’
The Arizona Republic covered the tweet in the attached news story, which contains some additional information related to this matter. Mr. McDonough was terminated as General Manager by the team in 2018, but served 5 years in that position. The General Manager position is the highest executive position within a professional sports franchise. Suffice it to say that it is not often that a longtime General Manager of a major professional sports franchise makes such allegations.
By referencing a “vote”, Mr. McDonough is referring to the highly dubious January 2019 vote of the Council to spend $150 million in taxpayer money to renovate the basketball arena for billionaire owner Robert Sarver and the Phoenix Suns. I voted no on this, but it passed.
Mr. McDonough’s allegations against me are false and outrageous. However, as Mr. McDonough has made very serious allegations, and considering the other questionable circumstances (not involving me) surrounding this Council vote detailed below, a full investigation is warranted.
Brahm Resnik of Channel 12 News in Phoenix has provided other unsavory details surrounding the Council vote. The attached article provides some of these details, but most of the questions surround former Councilwoman Vania Guevara, who had been appointed to the Council to fill a vacancy and lost her election bid shortly after voting for the Suns taxpayer subsidy.
Councilwoman Guevara had been considered a “no” vote on the arena subsidy prior to the January of 2019 vote. This is based on public comments she made, as well as the unpopularity with the public of yet another taxpayer subsidy for a wealthy professional sports team. Something made her change her mind. I am not claiming that there was something nefarious, but is up to your office to determine whether there was. As it was, shortly after her newfound support for the Suns taxpayer giveaway, and her January 2019 vote in favor, Mr. Sarver gave $50,000 to a PAC that supported her failed reelection bid. He also gave $100,000 to a PAC supporting failed mayoral candidate Danny Valenzuela, who had also voted in favor of the subsidy.
On top of this was the $2.6 million that Mr. Sarver agreed to give to Head Start programs exclusively in Ms. Guevara’s district in order to secure her support.
In light of all this, it is critical that you get to the bottom of what Mr. McDonough was talking about, though his allegations against me are patently false.
Also false is Mr. McDonough’s smear calling me a “racist” and “crooked”. These assertions are shameful and unbecoming of an individual who has enjoyed such high positions in the sports world, and are indicative of someone who loses an argument and as a result has to resort to name-calling. But this part of the tweet is not the main thrust of this letter, which centers around Mr. McDonough’s bribery allegations. Your office must investigate.
I stand ready to assist you in your efforts to look into this matter in any way that I can. Very truly yours,
Sal DiCiccio