Brown Staffers Make ‘Tomahawk Chop’ Motions At Warren Supporters

[CatWoman]

Updated Sept. 25, 12:18 p.m. ET

Staffers for Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) reportedly participated in war-whoop sounds and “tomahawk chop” gestures at supporters of Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren, mocking Warren’s claimed Native American ancestry.

The incident occurred this past Saturday in Boston, at a rally for Brown featuring former Boston Mayor Ray Flynn, and at which a group of Warren supporters also showed up with signs. The video was posted Tuesday by the state liberal blog Blue Mass Group.

According to the local ABC affiliate in Boston, it has been confirmed that among the participants were Brown’s deputy Chief of Staff Greg Casey, Constituent Service Counsel Jack Richard, plus state GOP operative Brad Garrett.

“It is certainly something that I don’t condone,” Brown himself told the station. “The real offense is that (Warren) said she was white and then checked the box saying she is Native American, and then she changed her profile in the law directory once she made her tenure.”


http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/09/brown-staffers-tomahawk-chop.php?ref=fpnewsfeed

[bigdarryl]

1. Typical republican race baiting but when a candidate like Brown's sorry ass brings this

type of shit to the campaign and makes it a issue what do you expect

[catbyte]

2. Fucking ignorant assholes

Yeah, and we wear feathers and jingle dresses too.

This is my very pet peeve. ARRRRRGH!!!!!!!!!!

[riverwalker]

3. makes my blood boil

disgusting pigs

[ellisonz]

9. I like how they managed to mix in "Yankees Suck."

These clowns need to just go to the barrr on election day for its entirety.

[SoapBox]

4. The stoopid continues....

and panders to the Bigots, Racists and Haters.

What does the American Indian community have to say about this?

[BlueToTheBone]

5. Staffers? Wow. Supporters, maybe I can understand

but STAFFERS directly reflect his views and he is a nasty man.

[CTyankee]

6. This stuff won't play well with women in MA. Maybe in some really red states but not in MA...

[catbyte]

7. What on earth is the matter with him? If him co-sponsoring the Blunt Amendment doesn't sink him,

I really hope this will. What a clod.

[Jennicut]

21. Yup. I think he is forgetting this is New England.

That stuff does not play well here at all. There are lots of Native American groups around here that will be really disgusted too.

[CTyankee]

28. Not just native Americans, but women in particular I think.

Male candidates hectoring female candidates do not do well in New England states...

[karynnj]

30. Not even campaign staffers - these are Senate staffers, who really should not even be involved

in the campaign.

[BlueToTheBone]

38. It's illegal to use staff to work on campaigns

Why no outrage over that?

[karynnj]

39. +1000000

This may have been on their own time. However, they were together with a GOP political operative which might be something they shouldn't do.

[Justice]

8. Brown's staff reveals just how little they think of Native Americans

Brown's whole posture on this issue has been "indignant offense" on behalf of Native Americans because Warren took advantage of a benefit that she was not entitled to. He says Native Americans are hurt and offended by her actions. That she disrespected Native Americans.

I wonder what Native Americans think about Scotty's staff smiling and smirking while reinforcing the stereotypical mannerisms of Native Americans - war-whoops and tomahawk chops?

Childish, ugly behavior.

[Cha]

13. Scott Brown is a Liar.

[Cha]

10. No, A$$hole, the REAL Offense is you and your

Idiots on Staff.

[graywarrior]

11. Whoa, the women I work and take classes with are VERY pissed about this

and they are making sure every dem they know votes. Brown is a bully and an abuser.

[Cha]

14. Good to know the inside scoop,

Gray!

[CTyankee]

16. Since he himself had been abused as a child, it doesn't surprise me. It saddens me, but

horribly and unfortunately, such things do happen.

[graywarrior]

20. I wonder if his staff was also abused.

[TroyD]

12. Will this be the moment where Brown's campaign finally jumps the shark?

[Cha]

15. Their Boca

Raton Moment?

[TroyD]

17. Scott Brown Staffers Mock Elizabeth Warren’s ‘Native Identity’ With ‘Tomahawk Chops’ on Video

http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2012/09/25/scott-brown-staffers-mock-elizabeth-warrens-native-identity-with-tomahawk-chops-on-video-135695

[TroyD]

18. Elizabeth Warren ‘appalled’ by actions of GOP staffers

Warren said Tuesday she was “appalled” by the video.

“If this had happened on my staff, there would be consequences... serious consequences,” she said.

The state Democratic party said Brown bears responsibility for his staff’s conduct.

“Scott Brown and his staff are launching outrageous and offensive personal attacks to distract from the issues that matter,” said Matt House, Massachusetts Democratic Party spokesman. “The behavior of his staff is completely inappropriate, but the tone of the campaign is set by the candidate.”

The video points to the political peril Brown faces as he steps up his attacks of Warren’s claims to Native American ancestry. War whoops and tomahawk chops – once prevalent among fans of Indian-named sports teams – have become a flashpoint in the sports world because many consider them offensive to Native Americans.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2012/09/25/gop-staffers-make-tomahawk-chops-confrontation-with-warren-supporters/dmymhyneZFbp961UlD2pfM/story.html

[karynnj]

29. And this was worse than that - Warren could only be speaking of

election staff - these guys were SENATE staffers.

[Cha]

32. Excellent Statement from Elizabeth!

“The behavior of his staff is completely inappropriate, but the tone of the campaign is set by the candidate.”

Drive it in, Elizabeth! Thanks, TroyD.

[SoapBox]

19. And then I was thinking...

Mr. Wall Street Brownie, are you and your staff, making fun of Native American Indians?

Ya know...those folk that were HERE before the white guys "invaded" from Europe and such?

I so want to hear from some of the tribes on this.

[Jersey Devil]

22. If I were an MA voter I'd be seriously considering

whether or not Brown has a screw loose. I mean, regardless of where Brown stands on the issues, does anyone want a US Senator with such complete lack of class? What next? Is he going to have Warren followed around by people dressed up as "Chief Nokahomer"?

[Kteachums]

23. He is going to loose big time!

[LiberalFighter]

24. Brown needs to lose by a wide margin.

And all of his staffers need to meet Karma.

[ohheckyeah]

25. Scottie should know

that people don't always look like what they are. He's probably never been a movie extra as an SS officer in a WWII movie but he looks a lot like one.

[exboyfil]

26. PAC should be putting the ad together right now

Make sure everyone sees it.

[NCLefty]

27. That's a straight-up Republican move.

[ailsagirl]

31. I saw the clip on Rachel's show tonight. I can't think of anything to say other than...

'small minds are easily amused.'

Ignorance, thy name is Republican.

[TroyD]

33. 'It looked like Scott Brown was more comfortable posing naked than debating Elizabeth Warren.'

Saw this one on Twitter today and I liked it.

[slydog1227]

34. Elizabeth Warren is a class act! Good for her!

Brown and his idiots remind me of the ignorant, redneck, misogynistic pigs who think its funny to slam on women and yuck it up with the other "boys" who are in their "stupid" club. And they actually think that it's appropriate and that everyone agrees with their ignorance! You see a lot of that in the South.

[TroyD]

35. Do you think this will cause a collapse in support for Brown in the polls?

We'll have to wait a few days to see if there will be any fallout. There may be some, but I'm going to be cautious until I see some new polling data taken after this latest incident.

We may be offended by it, but that doesn't mean everyone else will or that there will be a stampede to Warren.

The key number to watch will be the Independents: if they stay with Brown, then he is still in the game. If they desert him, it's over. They are the one group he has consistently led with all year. If they go to Warren, it's unlikely he can survive.

[slydog1227]

36. Man, I don't know...

Who knows with some of these Republican supporters? I like to think I'm a reasonable person, and I find Brown and his staffers behavior reprehensible! And I'd like to think if I were a reasonable moderate Repug, or an independent it would really turn me off. But most Republicans I personally know are some rabidly stupid people in my opinion. I don't think much of anything would force them to cross to the other side. Hopefully he will loose the reasonable Independents! I'm keeping my fingers crossed! I also think its really important to bring attention to this bullshit as much as we can on all fronts, ie, facebook, emailing friends, etc. Even if we aren't personally involved in that election. Public/peer pressure, in my opinion, sways more opinions than a lot of people think, or care to admit. Especially with the easily persuaded sheeple.

[UCmeNdc]

37. These Brown Staffers need to be fired!

Brown needs to fire these staffers for their immature conduct! If he doesn't then he must actually support this race baiting action.

[unionthug777]

40. tomahawk chop......

i am native american and find this behavior most distasteful. come on up to my rez and do that shit, or and rez for that matter. i personally find the tomahawk chop by atlanta fans disgusting. that is all i have to say. for now. go dems !!!!!