10/20/2026 03:30:00
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10/20 15:28 CDT Florida Bar places employee on leave over 'morally
reprehensible' comments to Miami football player
Florida Bar places employee on leave over 'morally reprehensible' comments to
Miami football player
By TIM REYNOLDS
AP Sports Writer
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) --- The Florida Bar said Tuesday it has placed an
employee on administrative leave amid an investigation into online comments
that were sent to a Miami football player after the Hurricanes beat Florida
State last weekend.
Kade McLendon, who has worked at the Bar for about two years as a computer
technician, was identified as the employee. An account from a person using
McLendon's name sent a number of messages to Miami's Damon Wilson II after the
Hurricanes' 43-35 victory, including several racist and homophobic slurs.
Wilson, who is Black, shared a screenshot of the messages publicly Sunday,
calling it a "glimpse into the life of a black student athlete."
"The messages in question are not only ethically and morally reprehensible but
also violate our internal social media policy for employees," the Bar said in
its statement. "As the internal investigation continues, we are committed to
enforcing our policies and procedures while making sure that any due process
rights are protected."
An attempt by The Associated Press to reach McLendon on Tuesday was
unsuccessful. It's unclear why the private messages were sent to Wilson, who is
in his first season at Miami after previously playing at Georgia and Missouri.
"That's my brother and I embrace him," Miami offensive lineman Ryan Rodriguez
said Tuesday when asked about Wilson and the online comments. "It's more than a
game. That's my brother."
Miami, the No. 1-ranked team in the AP Top 25, next plays Saturday at home
against Pittsburgh.
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