Controversial S#!T

Landon Donovan's pro soccer team straight-up walked off the field in protest Wednesday ... after a member of his squad claimed an opponent used a homophobic slur on the pitch.

Donovan's San Diego Loyal team was playing against Phoenix Rising FC in a USL game in San Diego ... when one of Landon's players said a verbal insult was hurled his way just before halftime.

The player, Collin Martin -- an openly gay man -- reportedly claimed Junior Flemmings called him a "batty boy" ... which is known in Jamaican dialect as an anti-gay slur.

Donovan, Martin and the whole Loyal team were livid over the alleged comment ... and demanded referees or Phoneix Rising FC's coach remove Flemmings from the game.

In video of the argument between Donovan, the refs, and the Phoenix coach ... the U.S. Men's National Team legend can be seen and heard animatedly explaining his team's outrage.

"We need to get this out of our game!" Donovan said. "We need to get this out of our game!"

Donovan continued, "It's homophobia!"

When Flemmings was not removed at the start of the 2nd half ... Donovan's Loyal team took a knee and then left the field -- forfeiting a game it was leading 3-1.

Afterward, Donovan explained that since one of his players had been racially abused in a game just a week ago ... they weren't going to stand for any kind of insensitive comments or actions on the field going forward.

"We went through a really hard incident last week in the L.A. match and we made a vow to ourselves, to our community, to our players, to the club, to USL, that we would not stand for bigotry, homophobic slurs -- things that don’t belong in our game."

The USL says it's investigating the incident, adding in a statement, "Foul and abusive language of any type has absolutely no place in our society and will not be tolerated in USL matches."

For Flemmings' part, he denies ever saying the comment ... writing in a post on social media, "At no point did I say a homophobic slur towards Collin Martin."

"I do not know Collin personally, but I respect all of my opponents equally, Collin included."

REFORM Alliance -- the criminal justice reform org launched by Jay-Z, Meek Mill, Michael Rubin and others -- is celebrating its first major victory with CA Gov. Gavin Newsom signing a new bill into law.

Newsom just put pen to paper on AB 1950 ... legislation which will drastically reshape Cali's probation system and give hundreds of thousands of Californians a better shot at exiting the criminal justice system for good.

Specifically, the new law limits adult probation sentences to a maximum of 1 year for misdemeanor, and 2 years for felony offenses. The theory is that will greatly reduce probation violations. REFORM campaigned hard for the bill, generating more than 3,000 emails to Newsom's desk.

As you know, Meek knows personally how probation violations can unjustly derail someone's life, and his experience is part of the origin story of REFORM.

Meek's pal, and 76ers partner, Rubin says ... "This is exactly why we created REFORM -- to change laws and create a smarter criminal justice system focused on rehabilitation and redemption all while keeping communities safe."

He adds ... "We’re grateful for Governor Newsom and Assemblywoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove’s commitment to making such meaningful change in California and we hope it sets a necessary precedent for state leaders across the country."

President Trump is walking back his ominous message to the far-right group, Proud Boys ... and now says he doesn't even know who they are.

Trump fielded questions on the South Lawn about the "stand back and stand by" remark he made when debate moderator Chris Wallace asked if he would denounce white supremacy.

He told the White House press corps ... "I don't know who the Proud Boys are" and asked reporters for a definition of the group -- which has been widely labeled a neo-fascist, male-only, politically violent organization.

The President added, "Whoever they are, they have to stand down -- let law enforcement do their work."

Interestingly, though, he was again asked straight-up if he denounces white supremacy. Watch how he dances around the question before finally responding ... but without ever saying the words, "white supremacy." Trump finally mutters ... "I've always denounced any form, any form, any form of any of that, you have to denounce."

The Prez then pivoted to attack the liberal left and Antifa instead, much like he did during the first presidential debate.

As we reported ... the debate has been widely panned as a disgrace -- or much worse -- and the ratings were way down from 2016. That could be the result of voters turned off by the nastiness or voters who've already decided just not watching.

Either way, it could be too late for this kinda damage control

President Trump refusing to condemn white supremacists and continuing to undermine confidence in the election has Rev. Al Sharpton concerned about division and voter intimidation.

Sharpton was on "TMZ Live" Thursday to address the President's ominous words -- "Stand back and stand by" -- for alt-right group the Proud Boys ... and his apparent encouragement of supporters to take to the streets if he's dissatisfied with the election.

According to Rev. Al, the message is clear -- Trump stands by white supremacy, and gave a hate group his stamp of approval Wednesday night.

Sharpton believes this could have dire consequences and deliver a blow to our democracy if voters are intimidated to go to the polls ... something he suggests is Trump's motive.

Americans are preparing in droves to get outta Dodge after the disaster that was the first presidential debate ... or so it seems based on the line to get a passport.

The passport office in Times Square drew a flock of customers, all lined up Wednesday morning less than 12 hours after the debate ... or as CNN put it, the "s**tshow."

The NYC crowd played like a response to the head-to-head war of words between President Trump and Joe Biden, because fleeing the country is one of those things ya hear people -- on both sides -- say when they're pissed about politics.

We're told the folks in line were waiting for appointments with the Dominican Republic Consulate.

After last night, virtually everyone's unhappy. As we reported ... some lowlights of the chaotic debate included Biden referring to the President as a "clown," and Trump refusing to denounce white supremacy.

There were plenty of other disturbing comments and verbal attacks, and it's all resonating with the public.

As many viewers and pundits have said ... to hell with the candidates, the American people lost last night.

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron now admits he never recommended the grand jury indict either of the 2 officers for shooting and killing Breonna Taylor.

Instead, Cameron says the case he presented to the grand jury is that the officers were fully justified in firing their weapons because Breonna's boyfriend had fired first at them. Cameron revealed some of his strategy in an interview with WDRB in Louisville ... saying, "Our recommendation is that [officers] Jonathan Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove were justified in their acts and their conduct."

Cameron also said he told the grand jury that the single witness who says he heard the police announce themselves before the raid ... changed his story. WDRB did not ask Cameron if he also told the grand jury that 12 other witnesses said they did NOT hear the police announce themselves -- and that's a huge point.

If the police didn't identify themselves ... Kenneth Walker, Breonna's boyfriend, would be justified in firing his legally owned firearm at people he believed to be intruders in her apartment.

One other thing ... Cameron said nothing about recommending a manslaughter charge to the grand jury. He says wanton endangerment was the only thing he felt he could prove beyond a reasonable doubt. However, police allegedly didn't provide medical assistance to Breonna for 20 minutes ... which would seem to put manslaughter -- legally defined as reckless disregard for human life -- on the table.

Floyd Mayweather says he's down for a rematch with Conor McGregor -- but only for a $300 MILLION paycheck.

He's also down to box Khabib Nurmagomedov -- but again, he wants $300 million.

But, if you're hoping to see Floyd take on a legit contender, don't hold your breath -- Mayweather says he's only taking easy fights from here on out.

TBE spelled it out on Shannon Sharpe's "Club Shay Shay" podcast -- where he explained why his longterm mental health is more important than a paycheck ... which is why he'll only take fights he knows he can easily win.

"Conor McGregor can't punch," Mayweather said ... "He can't punch."

Floyd says he remembers taking a shot from Conor during their 2017 fight and thinking to himself, "Man, this dude punch so soft. It's cool."

Mayweather says he looks at fighters like his uncle, Roger Mayweather, and Muhammad Ali as cautionary tales ... saying, "Your health is your wealth."

Floyd says he's still training and working out -- and isn't far from his fighting weight ... but it doesn't sound like he has anything lined up just yet.

Of course, he's been mulling fights with Conor and Khabib for years but nothing has materialized.

There's more ... Mayweather also explained why he should be considered the greatest boxer of all time -- ahead of legends like Muhammad Ali and Rocky Marciano.

"Is Ali the same fighter that got beat by a guy with 7 fights? Leon Spinks beat Muhammad Ali when he only had 7 fights," Mayweather said.

"If we really tell the truth, what's the heavyweight guy that Ali fought 3 times? Ken Norton really beat Ali all 3 times. Go back and look at the fights."

Mayweather says he loves Ali ... but he's "just telling the truth."

He also spoke about Muhammad Ali's activism outside the ring -- and claims he would have done the same thing if he were around in the '60s.

"Ali will always be a pioneer because of what he stood for in that era. And, I commend him for that."

Ali famously refused to be drafted to fight in the Vietnam war and was subsequently stripped of his boxing titles.

Megyn Kelly says President Trump's bombing on coronavirus and racial issues, but she gives him a passing grade overall on policy ... and has a bold prediction about how he'll handle it, IF he loses the election.

The former Fox News and NBC anchor joined "TMZ Live" Monday to give the Prez a report card of sorts for his first 4 years in office, and though she says his behavior and rhetoric are atrocious ... she feels his job performance is satisfactory.

Megyn says Trump's policies overall have been a success, especially for Republicans, but she also thinks he's done some good for the left and gives some examples.

That being said, Kelly concedes POTUS leaves a lot to be desired when issues require nuance or a healing hand ... like the COVID-19 pandemic. However, she thinks the virus would be a tough challenge for any President.

As for Megyn's bold prediction ... we ask her if Trump -- the same guy who feuded with her for challenging him on his history of sexist and misogynistic comments -- would attend Joe Biden's inauguration if he loses the presidency.

Her answer's surprising, but she's pretty confident about it.

As you'll recall, Megyn eventually buried the hatchet with Trump and even went on to interview him on his way to the White House ... and it seems like they're still on good terms.

President Trump's infamously elusive tax returns have reportedly seen the light of day -- and they appear to paint a portrait of Houdini-like tactics that have allegedly allowed DT to avoid paying income taxes for years ... and a grand total of $750 in his first year on the job.

The NYT claims to have obtained tax-return data extending over two decades, including 2016 and 2017 ... years they report Trump paid a paltry $750 in income taxes in each year. Prior to that -- for at least 10 of the previous 15 years -- NYT says Trump paid $0 in income tax.

An attorney for the Trump Organization disputed the Times' findings ... and called them inaccurate ... asserting Trump had paid tens of millions in personal taxes to the feds over the past decade, including millions more since announcing his candidacy is 2015.

The Times says the attorney appears to be conflating "personal taxes" with income taxes -- noting DT has paid taxes for Medicare, Social Security and taxes for household employees.

As for how it's possible that Trump could've avoided paying income taxes for all those years -- as the Times reports -- it's because, based on the filings they've reviewed, he reported losing more money than he made ... in what they characterize as "chronic losses."

As for how rich the dude actually is ... the Times says the returns show he does own hundreds of millions in valuable assets, but they also claim he's hundreds of millions in debt as well, debts they say are coming due soon. So, it's really unclear how much he's worth.

The Times also reports that the returns do not show anything not previously known about Trump and Russia as far as business dealings are concerned. Just a quick glance at how much dough the dude was rolling in back in the 2000s because of "The Apprentice" and the licensing deals that followed -- the NYT says it amounted to upwards of $427 million all in. They also say some of that money was reinvested into other businesses -- including golf courses -- which have hemorrhaged cash.

Now, Trump has already caught wind of the report -- and he's calling it the usual ... fake news.

Trump says he's currently under audit by the IRS -- which the Times confirms, and explains it could cost the Prez a whopping $100M if they find that a $72 mil tax credit he once claimed is illegitimate.

One of the ballistics reports used to determine who shot who in the moments leading up to Breonna Taylor's death appears to contradict the Kentucky AG's version of events -- or at the very least, offer a more complete view ... which is mired in uncertainty.

Reports say that the first ballistics report conducted by the Kentucky State Police -- first obtained by VICE News this week -- could not definitively say for a fact if the 9-mm bullet that struck LMPD Officer Mattingly was, in fact, from Breonna's BF, Kenneth Walker.

In relation to the bullet that went through Mattingly's leg -- which he asserted had come from Walker firing from down the hall -- the initial KSP report reportedly says, in part, "due to limited markings of comparative value, [the] item was neither identified nor eliminated as having been fired from #45." #45 pertains to the magazine in Walker's gun.

Even more damning is the fact that one of Walker's attorneys, Steven Romines, recently claimed to CNN that he and his team had obtained an internal LMPD personnel record showing Officer Hankison (who was firing from outside) had actually been issued a 9-mm handgun at some point by the department, casting doubt on AG Cameron's claim that all the officers were using .40 caliber guns that night, and that Walker had the only 9-mm.

So, what does this all mean??? Basically, that AG Cameron might've possibly not been as forthcoming in describing the ballistics report's findings -- or which ballistics report he was actually referring to when saying evidence showed that Walker had hit Mattingly first.

Remember, there was a second ballistics report conducted by the FBI -- one which, in addition to the KSP ballistics report, was given to the grand jury to read -- but Cameron didn't say during his Wednesday presser which report he consulted when explaining the decision. It's also unclear what the feds concluded on this issue, and if there's a discrepancy.

The one thing that could make this moot -- namely, whether Mattingly was hit by Walker's bullet, or a fellow officer's bullet -- is the fact Walker admitted to firing a warning shot ... which, presumably, would authorize officers to use deadly force and return fire regardless.

California Governor Gavin Newsom just signed a new law allowing transgender prisoners in the State to be housed based on their gender identity rather than their biological sex.

Newsom signed SB 132 Saturday -- among other LGBTQ+-friendly legislation -- which will require the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's officers to privately ask inmates during the intake process if they identify as trans, nonbinary or intersex.

If they do, the inmate can then be placed in a facility in which they feel most comfortable and safe.

The new CA law says an inmate's request cannot be denied based solely on a prisoner's anatomy, sexual orientation or another factor that may be present among other inmates at any given facility. What the state could deny a request over ... legit "management or security concerns," although Newsom didn't lay out exactly what that might mean.

If an inmate's request is denied, the state has to offer a written explanation as to why and offer that prisoner a meaningful opportunity to object. BTW, the law also requires prison guards to address inmates by their preferred pronouns and to search them based on their gender identities as well. It's being hailed as a step forward in the LGBTQ+ community.

Of course ... there've been concerns raised about this new system, as some feel cis-gender heterosexual males can abuse the new policy to infiltrate female prisons ... and commit atrocities from the inside. However, the state senator who authored the bill, Scott Wiener, says he doubts that'll happen very often, if at all ... saying it's a false narrative that trans men or women are only out to get into certain gendered wings.

A possible COVID-19 vaccine relies on shark livers, and conservationists are warning it could decimate the shark population.

A British pharmaceutical company called GlaxoSmithKline currently manufactures a flu vaccine, which includes shark squalene, which is a natural oil produced in the liver. It's known to create a strong response from the recipient's immune system.

The company plans to produce A BILLION DOSES of a coronavirus vaccine, which would include shark squalene.

An environmental group called Shark Allies, claims a quarter-of-a-million sharks would have to be killed to produce the necessary amount of squalene for one dose per person. If 2 doses are required -- which may well be the case -- we're talking half a million sharks that would be killed.

Stefanie Brendl, who runs Shark Allies, says, "Harvesting something from a wild animal is never going to be sustainable, especially if it's a top predator that doesn't reproduce in huge numbers."

The best you can call this is bad taste, and the worst is despicable because a Republican group decided to jack the moniker of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg -- The Notorious R.B.G. -- by instantly printing shirts supporting Judge Amy Coney Barrett with the words "Notorious A.C.B." emblazoned on them.

The shirts are courtesy of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) ... a group that raises cash to elect Republicans to the Senate.

The org tweeted a photo of Barrett with the Biggie Smalls crown.

Barrett praised RBG when she spoke Saturday after being nominated by Donald Trump -- she called her "a woman of enormous talent" -- so we're guessing she had nothing to do with the shirt. But seriously ... to riff on something that became part of the public adoration for the late Justice -- it's just wrong.

Some Dems were outraged. California Governor Gavin Newsom said, "This makes me sick to my stomach."

The NRSC is selling the "limited edition" t-shirt for a minimum donation of $25.

The crime scene left behind after Breonna Taylor was shot and killed in her own apartment was a show of chaos ... so it seems from the first body cam footage released that shows the aftermath.

VICE News just posted two brief clips from hours of body camera footage they obtained from responding SWAT team members and other officers from LMPD. They showed up immediately after the deadly shooting March 13 that left Breonna dead in her apartment.

The two videos -- as well as other footage VICE will presumably release -- depict the moments after officers Hankison, Cosgrove and Mattingly fired dozens of rounds into Breonna's unit, and both are disturbing.

The first video shows what VICE says is Kenneth Walker -- Breonna's boyfriend -- being screamed at by a cop who threatened to sic a K-9 unit on him, telling him to get on his knees and not to look back. Eventually, other officers arrive -- including Hankison himself, per VICE -- and they cuff Walker. VICE reports Hankison tells Walker in the video that he's going to jail forever, but the clip they posted cuts out before any such thing can be clearly heard.

The second video shows perhaps an even more unsettling sight -- VICE reports it's Hankison again here (the cop who fired from outside the apartment) walking into Breonna's apartment after SWAT members had gone in to start investigating. He asks if any of the rounds were theirs, and seemingly tries having his run of the place before one SWAT officer tells him to scram, as it's an active crime scene and as such he shouldn't be roaming around unescorted.

In this second video, you also see the inside of Breonna's apartment ... including the hallway she and her boyfriend were apparently fired upon as Mattingly and Cosgrove first entered.

Speaking of not being escorted, VICE reports from the 40 hours-plus of footage they've scoured ... this is a trend they've seen. Namely, the seven officers directly involved in the raid -- including Hankison and Cosgrove -- were NOT separated or paired with another officer ... basically, getting them the hell away from there, which is LMPD policy. Instead several of them reportedly stayed on scene, and even conducted witness interviews ... this per VICE.

Amy Coney Barrett is Donald Trump's pick to fill Ruth Bader Ginsburg's seat, according to multiple reports, and judging by Barrett's past comments, her confirmation would squarely put abortion rights and health care on the chopping block.

Barrett, who currently serves on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, is a devout Catholic who has an intractable belief that life begins at conception. She has said Roe vs. Wade "ignited a national controversy" by jumping on the abortion issue rather than letting each state decide.

She has said in the past, she doesn't believe Roe will be overturned ... “I don’t think the core case, Roe’s core holding that women have a right to an abortion, I don’t think that would change," adding, "but I think the question of whether people can get very late-term abortions, you know, how many restrictions can be put on clinics, I think that will change.” What she didn't say ... if there's a majority on the Court that wants to overturn Roe, would she go along.

Barrett also railed on the Affordable Care Act's birth control mandate, saying it's a "grave violation of religious freedom." And, there's this ... she said during her first confirmation hearing, "...the Catholic Church's teaching that abortion ... is always immoral." She signed a petition back in 2012, claiming the birth control mandate is a violation of religious liberty. She has made statements strongly suggesting the ACA is fatally flawed ... an overreach of Congressional power.

During her confirmation to the 7th Circuit, she was asked if she could shelve her religious beliefs if they conflicted with the law. She said she could, but the reality is this ... Supreme Court justices don't blindly decide cases on the letter of the law.  There is always discussion of social policy, which sometimes drives the legal discussion. It's the way it's always been.

Barrett, who clerked for Justice Antonin Scalia, was also a professor at Notre Dame School of Law for 15 years.

Thom Brennaman is officially OUT as Cincinnati Reds play-by-play man ... the 57-year-old formally resigned from his position weeks after he used a homophobic slur on air.

Remember, back on Aug. 19, Brennaman was broadcasting the Reds-Royals game ... when he was caught on a microphone referring to a place as "one of the f** capitals of the world."

Brennaman had been indefinitely suspended by the team over the comment ... but on Friday, Thom announced he was officially stepping away from the broadcasting position for good.

"My family and I have decided that I am going to step away from my role as the television voice of the Cincinnati Reds,” Brennaman told WCPO in Cincinnati.

"I would like to thank the Reds, Reds fans and the LGBTQ Community for the incredible support and grace they have shown my family and me."

It's obviously a big deal ... Brennaman had been working with the Reds since 2006 -- and was regarded as one of the best announcers in MLB prior to his suspension.

Brennaman has repeatedly apologized for his use of the slur ... and recently claimed he's now a "better person" after weeks of reflecting on the incident.

Brennaman -- who was also booted from his role as an NFL play-by-play announcer for Fox -- told WCPO he's hoping to one day return to a headset again.

"I have been in this profession that I love for 33 years," Thom said. "It is my hope and intention to return. And if I'm given that opportunity, I will be a better broadcaster and a much better person."