Vincent White, the lawyer who is representing former Mets reliever Jenrry Mejia after he was given a lifetime ban for a third PED violation, has announced that he will hold a press conference on Thursday to discuss a lawsuit he will be filing against Major League Baseball and the Commissioner’s Office. On the final day of MLB’s All-Star break, Mejia’s lawyer plans to discuss a lawsuit that seeks to reveal years of corruption inside Major League Baseball and specifically names both the former and current commissioners, Bud Selig and Rob Manfred.
From the press release:
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A detailed multi year investigation has brought many items to light including statements from former employees that have included the breaking of state and federal laws, invasion of privacy, computer hacking, extortion threats, and obstruction of justice.
Years of corrupt mob-like activity will be revealed in The Commissioner Office’s actions against MLB teams, owners, MLB players, agents, accused / suspended players, and many third parties independently operated outside of MLB.
When Mejia was first issued his lifetime ban, he spoke with the New York Times and said that Major League Baseball conspired against him, alleging that the league threatened it would find a way to suspend him a third time if he appealed his second ban. A few days later, White held a press conference for Mejia to clear his name where he accused MLB of “dirty-cop tactics,” including trying to get him to rat on another player.
Mejia and his attorney vowed to appeal the ban, which is technically not appealable, so that would require availing themselves of the arbitration process as outlined by the CBA. The purpose of this lawsuit, however, may actually be to demonstrate that the corruption inside MLB is so far-reaching that the arbitration process is also tainted—remember, MLB fired the arbitrator who overturned Ryan Braun’s suspension in 2012— and that the courts are the only place Mejia can get a fair shake.
Update: According to White, Mejia is not specifically involved in this case, although much of the language used and allegations made here, mirrors what White said on behalf of Mejia in the March press conference. It could be completely unrelated to Mejia’s ban, or by not including him, it could be another way around the requirement to go through arbitration rather than use the courts.
