The Penguins confirmed they have accepted an invitation to the White House to celebrate their second consecutive Stanley Cup win and issued a statement Sunday morning addressing their views on protests and freedom of expression.
“The Pittsburgh Penguins respect the institution of the Office of the President, and the long tradition of championship teams visiting the White House,” the statement read. “We attended White House ceremonies after previous championships — touring the historic building and visiting briefly with Presidents George H.W. Bush and Barack Obama — and have accepted an invitation to attend again this year.
Please to inform that the Champion Pittsburgh Penguins of the NHL will be joining me at the White House for Ceremony. Great team!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 24, 2017
Any agreement or disagreement with a president's politics, policies or agenda can be expressed in other ways. However, we very much respect the rights of other individuals and groups to express themselves as they see fit.”
Penguins co-owner Ron Burkle, a longtime donor to Democratic candidates, echoed these sentiments earlier this summer.
“I think it’s a tradition that should be honored, first and foremost,” he said. “There’s a lot of emotion around the president. There’s a lot of negativity, and there’s a lot of passion. But it is the president, it is the White House.”
Jason Mackey: jmackey@post-gazette.com and Twitter @JMackeyPG.
First Published: September 24, 2017, 3:02 p.m.
Updated: September 24, 2017, 8:14 p.m.
