Cubs co-owner Todd Ricketts gets new job as finance chair of the RNC

Mike Oz
Todd Ricketts, one of the owners of the Chicago Cubs, was named finance chair of the Republican National Committee on Wednesday. (AP)
Todd Ricketts, one of the owners of the Chicago Cubs, was named finance chair of the Republican National Committee on Wednesday. (AP)

The relationship between the Chicago Cubs ownership and politics got even closer Wednesday as Todd Ricketts — one of the Cubs’ co-owners — was approved as the new finance chair of the Republican National Committee.

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The move was expected and Ricketts was voted into his new role unanimously. He’ll replace casino mogul Steve Wynn, who stepped down in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations. Ricketts had previously been the Trump administration’s pick for Deputy Commerce Secretary, but Ricketts had his name withdrawn when he was unable to untangle his “complex financial holdings” enough to please the Office of Government Ethics.

The appointment of Ricketts is also proof that all remains well between Trump and the Ricketts family, despite a hot-and-cold relationship in the past.

In a statement distributed by the RNC, Rickett said:

“I have wanted to be helpful to President Trump and the Republican Party since our successful 2016 elections. Serving as the Republican National Committee’s Finance Chairman is the perfect opportunity. I look forward to raising the resources to support the president, Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Mitch McConnell to continue the Republican Party’s successful agenda of reducing taxes on all Americans and creating jobs and opportunity.”

Furthermore, President Trump said:

“Todd will be a great addition to the Republican National Committee, and I couldn’t be happier he is lending his tremendous leadership to our Party.”

While his brother Tom oversees the Cubs’ day-to-day business as their chairman, Todd is among the Ricketts family members who own the team.

For a while, within his presidential campaign, an angry Trump had threatened the Ricketts family, tweeting in February 2016:

Tom Ricketts responded a week later saying: “We stand up for what we believe in.” But then by September, before both the election and the team’s World Series win, the Ricketts family donated $1 million to Trump’s campaign.

All the problems seem like water under the bridge now.

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Mike Oz is the editor of Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at mikeozstew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!