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Report: Redskins may have bribed a Native American tribal leader in Utah

By Stanford Crissey

Oct 12, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder on the sidelines prior to the game against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 12, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder on the sidelines prior to the game against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Paiute tribal leader accused of taking bribes to support Redskins name, faces impeachment

As the controversy surrounding the name “Washington Redskins” grows bigger, Washington owner Daniel Snyder has taken many steps against the backlash, most notably by making use of Native Americans who have no problem with the name.

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And apparently, those steps include bribery.

Gari Pikyavit Lafferty, chairwoman of the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, is facing impeachment over accepting bribes from the Redskins in their effort to earn the tribe’s support for their team name. The alleged bribes include a football signed by Robert Griffin III and an all-expenses-paid trip to see the team take on the New York Giants on Sept. 25.

The Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah Tribal Council has officially accused Lafferty has been officially accused of accepting bribes by her tribal council from the Original Americans Foundation, an organization Snyder founded last year, ostensibly for outreach to Native American tribes.

According to the official charges against Lafferty, the chairwoman’s acceptance of these gifts displays a pattern of “promoting personal gain” over the best interests of the tribe she represents, and the gifts “could be considered bribery.” Council members cannot accept gifts over $50.

“Your actions in soliciting and accepting gifts from the Redskins for yourself and your family could reasonably be considered to be separate from or adverse to the best interests of the Tribe,” read the charging documents, “particularly given the participation of a PITU Tribal member in the litigation against the continued use of the name ‘Redskins’ (and associated logo) by an NFL team,” the accusations read.

It shouldn’t be surprising that Snyder’s foundation has resorted to bribery to keep its team’s racist nickname alive. This is the man, after all, who requires all employees to sign a document waiving their right to sue him “as a condition of employment;” and who has claimed that the name Redskins is a “term of honor and respect.”

Snyder’s continued, bullheaded defense of his team’s name, which is historically a slur for Native Americans, remains baffling. One could argue that he’s doing it to keep up revenues and sales; but wouldn’t it bring in so much more money to introduce a new team name and logo? Fans would have all new memorabilia to buy!

One could also make the argument that teams that are meant to entertain shouldn’t have racist names. I’m just trying to speak Snyder’s language here.

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