Harry Reid keeps ripping Roger Goodell, Daniel Snyder over Redskins name

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) continues to hammer the NFL on prioritizing deflate-gate over what he believes is a need to address the Washington Redskins, a franchise name he perceives as racist.

In an interview with CNN, Reid responded to a question about whether NFL commissioner Roger Goodell should resign in the wake of deflate-gate with some pointed remarks for Goodell and Redskins owner Daniel Snyder. Here's the transcription of the Reid's remarks, courtesy of The Washington Post:

“Here’s a recommendation I’ll give to CNN: Don’t use the word Washington ‘bleep.’ The name of the Washington football team is disparaging to a large number of my constituents, and he demeans them every day.

“Snyder’s tried to bribe some of my folks, buy them little cars.

“To make this big deal about how much air is in a damn football. I’ve played a little football, I don’t think it makes any difference.

“And if it did make a difference, what’s wrong with Goodell and the National Football League — check the footballs before they go on the field.”

When the NFL suspended Tom Brady in May, Reid made a similar statement on the Senate floor.

“Yesterday, the National Football League punished one of its most recognizable players, [for] having tampered with game balls,” Reid said. “I find it stunning that the National Football League is more concerned about how much air is in a football than with a racist franchise name that denigrates Native Americans across the country. The Redskins name is a racist name. So I wish the commissioner would act as swiftly and decisively in changing the name of the D.C. team as he did about not enough air in a football.”

The 75-year-old Senator, who has represented Nevada since 1987, then doubled down on Twitter.

 

	Senator Harry Reid @SenatorReid
I find it stunning that the NFL cares more about how much air is in a football than it cares about a racist franchise name. 7:14 AM - 12 May 2015

Reid is not alone, as President Barack Obama also suggested in the past he would prefer Snyder change the team's name. For their part, Snyder has insisted he will never rename the Redskins, and Goodell has said that while the NFL needs to listen to opponents of the name, "Ultimately, it is Dan's decision."

Last month, The Washington Post reported that the Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation — established by Snyder in March 2014 — has spent millions of dollars in coordination with Native American tribes. However, at least two tribes in South Dakota and Utah have rejected the organization's assistance, which included a $25,000 sponsorship and a signed football from Robert Griffin III.

The foundation, which was created last year, has kept its activities largely private. But it has courted dozens of tribes — many of them in rural areas in need of help — offering playgrounds, vans, shoes and thousands of coats, along with other support.

Now, whether those donations are sincerely charitable or merely a veiled attempt to curry favor with the most vocal opponents of the franchise's name remains up for debate, but we know where Reid stands.