Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder’s on-going dispute with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, is steadily gaining traction with Reid’s latest accusation of Snyder’s attempt to bribe Nevada Native Americans.
Ray Hagar of the Reno Gazette-Journal reports that Reid was asked in a “pen and pad” media session with Reno journalist’s about the Washington Redskins football team nickname. Reid responded with a new wrinkle to this story by saying Dan Snyder tried to give members of the Las Vegas Paiutes gifts for them to support the “Redskins Brand”
“Redskins is a racist name, and Native Americans believe that,” Reid said. “They have tried to buy off some of my Nevada Indians and they have not been able to do that, giving them trucks and stuff like that” “The Indians, they understand that this is an issue that deals with them,” Reid said. “It is a moral issue with them. And he (Snyder) can hang on for a little while but it is not going to go on forever.”
Reid’s senior advisor for Nevada media, Kristin Orthman, confirmed that it was the Las Vegas Paiute tribe that were approached and offered a van by Snyder’s group, but that the offer was declined. Dan Snyder appears ready to use all tactics, by any means necessary to uphold the “Redskins” brand. This is just another setback in Snyder’s battle, on the heels of last weeks op-ed piece from the Washington Post in which the editorials stated that they will no longer use “Redskin” for the local NFL team. It looks as if Snyder’s battle is waging on many fronts, and one can only wonder how long will he be willing to fight?
