Daily Mail – by MEGHAN KENEALLY
A new recording of Donald Sterling has been released by a friend of the disgraced Clippers owner and he is heard declaring that he is not a racist.
‘You think I’m a racist? You think I have anything in the world but love for everybody? You don’t think that! You know I’m not a racist!’ Sterling is heard saying to his unidentified friend.
‘I mean, how could you think I’m a racist knowing me all these years?
On tape, again: A longtime friend of Donald Sterling released a second ‘surreptitiously’ recorded call where Sterling is heard sounding off about the scandal and how he will not sell his team
‘How can you be in this business and be a racist? Do you think I tell the coach to get white players? Or to get the best player he can get?’
The tape was released to Radar Online and the friend signed an affidavit saying that Sterling is the other voice on the recording.
‘I grew up in East L.A…. I was the president of the high school there. I mean, and I’m a Jew! And 50 per cent of the people there were black and 40 per cent were Hispanic,’ Sterling says.
‘So I mean, people must have a good feeling for me.’
Under investigation: Donald Sterling and his estranged wife Shelly (pictured in 2011) have both previously been cited in old discrimination lawsuits from former tenants and now she is reportedly being investigated by the NBA
Scandal: Sterling’s problems started when a secretly-recorded phone call with his girlfriend V. Stiviano (left) was released and he was heard complaining that she wanted to post photos of herself with Magic Johnson
Sterling talks about the scandal and specifically references the Instagram photo of his girlfriend V. Stiviano and Magic Johnson that reportedly prompted his backlash during a recorded call with her.
‘It breaks my heart that Magic Johnson, a guy that I respect so much, wouldn’t stand up and say, “Well let’s get the facts. Let’s get him and talk to him.” Nobody tried. Nobody!’
If the recording is real, it would be the first time that Sterling has been heard from since he was banned from the NBA for life following the first recording of his conversation with V. Stiviano.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver has made it clear that he hopes that the league’s board of governors will vote to force Sterling to sell the LA basketball team that he has owned since 1981, but in this latest recording, Sterling made it clear that he does not intend to go without a fight.
Ban: In April NBA Commissioner Adam Silver (pictured) announced a lifetime suspension and a $2.5million fine for Donald Sterling after audio recordings of him making racist comments came to light
‘You can’t force someone to sell property in America! I’m a lawyer, that’s my opinion,’ Sterling said.
In spite of his beliefs, the NBA is going ahead with their own process, as the advisory and finance committee held their second conference call in as many weeks in order to discuss their options and the timetable of a possible forced sale.
Sterling has been banned from the NBA for life, is not allowed to have any role in the running of the Clippers nor attend any games or practices.
The ‘death sentence’ came after tapes were released where Sterling was heard saying that he didn’t want his mixed-race girlfriend to post photos showing that she was spending time with African Americans.
The punishment, which also included a $2.5million fine, came after the NBA investigated and met with Sterling, but there are reports that his estranged wife Shelly Sterling is also being investigated because of some old discrimination lawsuits from former tenants who accused her of using racial slurs.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2623363/How-think-Im-racist-Donald-Sterling-cites-Jewish-roots-proof-not-racist-new-recording-vows-hold-team-force-sell-property-America.html#ixzz31Aalsaus
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Under investigation: Donald Sterling and his estranged wife Shelly
…Donald Sterling and his *** STRANGE *** wife Shelly……………
“Shelly” looks like she had one-too-many facelifts. Adam Silver (stein) looks like GOLUMB from Lord of the Rings. And Donald Sterling seems to be winning the UGLY contest, though. Put ’em together and ya got: STERLING SILVER!!!!!!!!