NEW YORK (AP) -- Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling responded to
the NBA's attempt to oust him on Tuesday, arguing that there is no
basis for stripping him of his team because his racist statements were
illegally recorded "during an inflamed lovers' quarrel in which he was
clearly distraught."
According to the response, obtained and posted by USA Today, Sterling
says V. Stiviano recorded him without his knowledge and thus the
recording was illegal under California law. He also said he could not
have "willfully" damaged the league because he did not know it would be
made public.
"A jealous rant to a lover never intended to be published cannot offend the NBA rules," the response says.
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