Senate Majority Harry Reid and former boxing great Mike Tyson met this week in Reid's office before officially launching a campaign urging President Barack Obama to posthumously pardon boxing great Jack Johnson.
The unlikely duo are teaming up to promote the campaign, which includes a petition on Change.org that already has more than 1,000 supporters.
Johnson was convicted in 1913 under the Mann Act of transporting a woman — his future wife, Lucille Cameron — across state lines for what an all-white jury deemed was an "immoral purpose." He served a little more than a year in jail, but activists want his record wiped.
Reid has advocated for Johnson's pardon for some time now, and has been joined by Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Mo Cowan (D-Mass.), as well as U.S. Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.).
Here is a photo of the duo in Reid's office, tweeted out by Reid's staff:
The pair also gushed back and forth about meeting each other on Twitter:
.@senatorreid boxed in the amateurs.. he is quite the boxing historian. An all around great person.
— Mike Tyson (@MikeTyson) April 3, 2013
One great boxer standing up for another: chn.ge/12fK8wZ CC @miketyson
— Senator Harry Reid (@SenatorReid) April 3, 2013
My friend @senatorreid has had an amazing journey from Washington to the White House. Read his memoir it's compelling and funny.
— Mike Tyson (@MikeTyson) April 3, 2013
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