Florida Bar suspends employee over racist messages to Miami player — SkimNews
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Florida Bar placed employee Kade McLendon on administrative leave amid an investigation into offensive online comments sent to a Miami football player, citing violations of its social media policy.
- Kade McLendon, a computer technician at the Florida Bar, was identified as the person behind an account that sent racist and homophobic slurs in private messages to Miami's Damon Wilson II after the Hurricanes' 43-35 win over Florida State.
- Damon Wilson II, a Black defensive lineman at Miami, publicly shared screenshots of the messages, describing them as revealing 'a glimpse into the life of a black student athlete'.
- Miami football team expressed solidarity with Wilson, with offensive lineman Ryan Rodriguez calling him 'my brother' and emphasizing that 'it's more than a game'.
- The Florida Bar stated the comments are 'ethically and morally reprehensible' and confirmed an internal investigation is ongoing, with due process protections in place.
Why it matters: A professional legal organization is confronting internal conduct issues after an employee’s alleged harassment of a Black college athlete, risking reputational damage and raising questions about enforcement of workplace behavior policies beyond official duties. The incident underscores how personal actions online can trigger institutional accountability.
Ask SkimNews
