EDITORIAL: Reid, Redskins and bribes

The Washington Redskins offend Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. It’s not merely the name of the capital’s NFL franchise that disgusts the Nevada Democrat, but the way in which the team is defending itself against Sen. Reid’s constant attacks on the team.

But the Redskins’ formations should look familiar to Sen. Reid. They stole his playbook.

Sen. Reid says the word “Redskins” is a racist slur that demeans American Indians, and he has agitated for months for the team and the league to drop the name. Talking football has helped Sen. Reid avoid discussion of the Democratic Party’s economic and foreign policy failures in the run-up to this fall’s midterm elections, which could end the Nevadan’s tenure as majority leader. Polls show most Americans and most American Indians don’t want the team name changed — and that they’re far more concerned about jobs.

No matter. Sen. Reid is not about to call a new play. So the Redskins have responded in vintage Washington fashion: giving people free stuff.

In an interview last month with the Reno Gazette-Journal’s Ray Hagar, Sen. Reid said the Redskins were trying to bribe Indian tribes to gain their support for the team and its name.

“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,” Sen. Reid told Mr. Hagar.

Bill Marion, spokesman for the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe, told the Review-Journal’s Laura Myers, “The tribe did receive an offer of a donation of a van, but the offer was declined for a variety of reasons.” He didn’t go into those reasons but said the offer was made three or four months ago.

Redskins owner Daniel Snyder established the Original Americans Foundation to direct charitable contributions to distressed American Indian communities. The foundation, launched this year, has provided welcome support to many tribes, including winter coats for children, heavy equipment and playgrounds. Some, such as the Paiutes and Arizona’s Fort Yuma Quechans, have refused support from the foundation.

Is it a damage-control campaign? Of course. But is promoting the Redskins to American Indians bribery?

If it is, it doesn’t measure up to Sen. Reid’s record of vote buying. You might recall that, five years ago, Sen. Reid all but staged infomercials to line up the 60 votes needed to get Obamacare out of the Senate. He permanently exempted Nebraska from state support for the law’s Medicaid expansion, a carve-out known as the “Cornhusker Kickback.” He gave Louisiana $300 million for Medicaid. And on and on.

Sen. Reid spent billions of dollars of your money to purchase the passage of a bill opposed by a majority of Americans. And he’s offended by the Redskins spending private money to help the impoverished Indians he claims to champion?

At least tribes can say no. Everyone is stuck with Obamacare.

So who is more offensive? The Redskins, who open their season today against the Houston Texans? Or Sen. Reid?