File this story under the “Petty Politics” category.

Via The Stakeholder, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s own blog, we find that Roll Call is reporting that Democratic financier and philanthropist George Soros, at right, has floated the idea of buying the Washington Nationals, recently having joined the ranks of one of the groups that submitted a bid for the team. Congressional Republicans, upon having heard the rumor, slyly implied that action could be taken against Major League Baseball if the team were to be sold to Soros, who put $20 million of his own money into progressive causes during the last election cycle:

“‘I think Major League Baseball understands the stakes,’ said Government Reform Chairman Tom Davis (R), the Northern Virginia lawmaker who recently convened high-profile steroid hearings. ‘I don’t think they want to get involved in a political fight.’ …

Indeed, Hill Republicans could potentially make life difficult for MLB in a variety of ways. In addition to being exempt from anti-trust rules, baseball is still under scrutiny over the steroid issue. The Nats, meanwhile, hope to have a publicly-funded stadium built soon…

Still, Rep. John Sweeney (R-N.Y.), vice chairman of the Appropriations subcommittee that covers the District of Columbia budget, said if Soros buys the team and seeks public funding for the new stadium or anything else, the GOP attitude would be, ‘Let him pay for it.'”

The Nationals, who were bought by Major League Baseball in 2002 for the paltry sum of $120 million, are slated to be sold later this summer. Eight bids have been submitted by interested parties, ranging in value from $300-400 million, though the price of the franchise is expected to climb with the team’s recent successes and in the wake of the announcement of an estimated $20 million profit for the team this year.