Joe Ricketts’ racist emails could cost Cubs owners trying to oust Tom Tunney

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Barack Obama is “a liar and a cheat,” Ricketts wrote in 2010. “Thank God there are a lot of people like us.” His musings touted the nonsensical and racist “birther” theories about where the former president was born.

‘‘Islam is a cult and not a religion,” Ricketts wrote. “Christianity and Judaism are based on love, whereas Islam is based on ‘kill the infidel,’ a thing of evil.’’

Joe Ricketts, the billionaire founder of TD Ameritrade and patriarch of the wealthy family that owns the Chicago Cubs, has found himself embroiled in controversy due to a series of racially insensitive emails.

These emails, which were published by Splinter News, reveal bigoted views and offensive statements. For instance, Ricketts referred to former President Barack Obama as “a liar and a cheat” and propagated nonsensical and racist “birther” theories about Obama’s birthplace.

He also made derogatory remarks about Islam, calling it a “cult” and “a thing of evil.” In response, Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts distanced the team from his father’s emails, emphasizing that they do not reflect the culture they’ve worked hard to build since 2009.

Tom Ricketts apologized for the racially insensitive content in his father’s emails, acknowledging their impact and attempting to separate Joe Ricketts from the Cubs organization.

The controversy has implications for the ongoing political slugfest in Chicago’s 44th Ward, where incumbent alderman Tom Tunney faces opponents in the municipal election.

Tunney has positioned himself as a crucial bulwark against the Ricketts family’s lucrative Wrigley Field empire, defending his record and advocating for community-based development and affordable housing.

The situation underscores the delicate balance between sports, politics, and accountability within the Cubs organization.