A Congressman Told James Dolan To Sell The Knicks So Now Dolan Is Reportedly Asking People To Donate Money To The Congressman's Opponent In This Year's Election

Tim Clayton - Corbis. Getty Images.

NY Post- Hell hath no fury like James Dolan scorned. The controversial Knicks boss is pouring cash into the effort to help GOP Congressional candidate Nicole Malliotakis beat incumbent Democratic Staten Island Rep. Max Rose — all because Rose recently trash-talked his ownership of the perennially losing New York Knicks.

“Max Rose thinks he can make our team and my ownership his political platform,” Dolan wrote in a personal email to friends last week that was obtained by The Post. “I need to let him know that we will not stand for this. The best way to do this is to help his opponent. He is in a tight race for the US Congress in Staten Island. … Please join me in helping Nicole defeat Max Rose for Congress. “It will help send a strong message to all NY politicians that the Knicks will not be their political ticket to reelection. The most you can donate is $2,800,” Dolan added. “I cannot do this alone due to the limit on campaign contributions.” But he sure is trying.

A $50,000 check from MSG Sports was cut Tuesday to “The Governing Majority Fund,” a PAC run by former Reps. John Faso and Jeff Denham, Dolan confirmed. The PAC’s mission is to help Republicans take back the House. “Faso said Dolan got pissed off at Max Rose because he said something about the Knicks being a sh–ty team and then Dolan turned around and wrote a $50,000 check to his PAC,” a source close to Faso told The Post. The email — whose recipients also included other NBA owners — came with a personalized fundraising link, with the initials “JD” in the URL.

The imbroglio began after Rose complained to TMZ of the billionaire’s mismanagement of the basketball team, accusing him of “driving the team into the ground.” “I’m a Knicks fan to the day I die, but Dolan’s gotta sell,” Rose said. “Right now, this is an absolute disgrace. They don’t make the playoffs. Nothing’s happening. Every year that they don’t make the playoffs, New York City loses out. We lose a piece of our soul. Sell tomorrow. Sell today. Do it for the good of all of us, brother!” In an interview with The Post, Dolan said neither Malliotakis nor Rose had been on his radar before the dustup, but that it was inappropriate for a sitting Congressman to politicize the team.

Despite all my history hating James Dolan, let me say this. I honestly can't knock a billionaire for using his money and connections to try to take down an enemy. That's the reason you stack all that paper. Well that and all the awesome shit you can do with unlimited money that my poor ass can't even fathom. You would think having all that money would help block out all the haters. But as anyone who has ever heard one story about James Dolan knows, he hears every single "Sell the team" chant and seen every t-shirt saying the same.

My problem with Little Jimmy D is that the reason people buy sports teams is to win, make money, and become beloved in a city. Well Dolan is clearly 1 for 3 on that front unless you consider the handful of Nets fans that exist who treasure the Knicks being perpetual trash. What does $50,000 even get you in a political race these days? Maybe a second of airtime on NY1 and some of those paper mailings that go directly into the trash without reading them. However, I can't imagine whatever that cash can buy is good enough to take off the stench of your campaign being backed by the most unlikable person in a city full of unlikable people. 

I don't know, and to be honest I don't care, what Nicole Malliotakis' and Max Rose's stances are on different political issues. But if one candidate's stance is that James Dolan should sell the Knicks, millions of New Yorkers are going to agree, especially with quotes like this.

“Glad to see James Dolan is taking his talents to boost Nicole’s campaign. God knows he’s got the Midas touch,” the Congressman snarked. “Never forget the Eddy Curry trade!

It doesn't matter what your political party or stance is. "Never forget the Eddy Curry trade" is a motto you can build around in New York City. Shit, I hate politics, but I may run for mayor of New York City whenever that election is with "Fuck James Dolan" as my platform and this video as the commercial that plays nonstop on our TVs during the media hellscape that is election season.

My name is Clem and I approve this message

I think the only move for Nicole Malliotakis is to rebuke James Dolan and get an official endorsement from Charles Oakley.