Rally video surfaces after campaigns release ads
about Warren's heritage
Brown staffers caught chanting Indian war whoops
Brown staffers caught chanting Indian war whoops
The Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation issued a strongly worded statement Wednesday, denouncing the actions of staffers and supporters of the Sen. Scott Brown campaign, who were shown in a YouTube video chanting Indian "war whoops" and making "tomahawk chops" during a rally for the Republican senator earlier in the week in Boston.
"The conduct of these individuals goes far beyond what is appropriate and proper in political discourse. The use of stereotypical “war whoop chants” and “tomahawk chops” are offensive and downright racist. It is those types of actions that perpetuate negative stereotypes and continue to minimize and degrade all native peoples," Bill John Baker, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation said in a statement.
Click here to read the full statement from the Cherokee Nation Chief
In a video posted on YouTube that was shot by a state Democratic Party staffer, members of Brown's staff are seen holding campaign signs near the Erie Pub. The main person in the video has been identified as Brad Garnett, a field coordinator for the Massachusetts GOP. He is seen making tomahawk chopping motions and making whooping sounds, presumably in reference to Elizabeth Warren's claims of Cherokee heritage. Jack Richard, Brown's Constituent Service Counsel is also seen making tomahawk chop motions.
Jerry McDermott, Brown's State Director and Jennifer Franks, Special Assistant to Senator Scott Brown were also shown in the video at the rally, NewsCenter 5's Janet Wu confirmed.
Images: Brown staffers caught chanting Indian war whoops, making tomahawk chops
"It is certainly something that I don't condone," said Brown when asked about the video Tuesday. "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."
"The individuals involved in this unfortunate incident are high ranking staffers in both the senate office and the Brown campaign," Chief Baker said. "A campaign that would allow and condone such offensive and racist behavior must be called to task for their actions." Chief Baker asked Sen. Brown to apologize for his staff's actions.
Earlier this week, Brown's campaign launched a new television ad featuring clips of news reports on Warren's Native American claims, for which she has been unable to provide any proof.
Warren then released an ad saying she was told as a child that her mother was part Cherokee and part Delaware Indian and that her parents had to elope because her father's family wasn't happy with her mother's heritage.
Meanwhile, reports have surfaced that Warren worked with LTV Steel as it tried to get out of a requirement to pay millions to a fund for retired coal miners. Brown said it counters Warren's image as a fighter for workers.
Warren's campaign released a statement saying, "There was never any question that coal miners and their surviving spouses would receive their full benefits. This case involved bankruptcy principles and who would pay what into the fund."
Two staff members on Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown’s campaign were caught on video making war whoops and tomahawk chops directed toward supporters of Brown’s opponent, Elizabeth Warren. Warren has claimed her family has Native American heritage, which has been a big controversy in the campaign. Brown said he did not condone his staffers’ actions. Take a look at other notable missteps candidates and their campaigns have taken during the 2012 election season.
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