Washington senator pressures NFL over Redskins name
Democrat Maria Cantwell to introduce a bill to eliminate league's tax-exempt status
A U.S. senator says she will introduce a bill to eliminate the NFL's tax-exempt status because the league has not taken action over the Washington Redskins name.
The announcement by Democrat Maria Cantwell of Washington state was one of several initiatives presented Tuesday during a Capitol Hill media conference aimed at increasing pressure on Redskins owner Dan Snyder.
The "Change the Mascot" campaign also said it was sending a letter to the other 31 NFL team owners asking them to use their "position of authority" to end the league's "promotion of a dictionary-defined racial slur."
Some speakers linked the issue to the NFL's handling of recent incidents involving domestic violence and child abuse. Oneida Nation representative Ray Halbritter said they were symptomatic of the league's "moral arrogance."
In an unrelated move, the NFL has hired a former White House official to help the league with legislative initiatives and work with teams on local and state issues.
The league on Tuesday announced the hiring of Cynthia Hogan as senior vice-president of public policy and government affairs. She worked as deputy assistant to the president and counsel to the vice-president from 2009 to 2013.
Hogan will report to Paul Hicks, the NFL's executive vice-president of communications and public affairs. She will be based in the NFL's office in Washington.