Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Wants Brown Apology

Hotline

Elizabeth Warren spent months playing defense in the controversy over her claims of Native American ancestry. But in the aftermath of a video showing a member of Sen. Scott Brown's, R-Mass., staff doing "tomahawk chops" and "war whoops" at a rally, the Cherokee Nation Principal Chief is denouncing the actions and calling for an apology from the senator.

"The Cherokee Nation is disappointed in and denounces the disrespectful actions of staffers and supporters of Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown," says Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation Bill John Baker in a statement. "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."

"We need individuals in the United States Senate who respect Native Americans and have an understanding of tribal issues," he concluded. "For that reason, I call upon Sen. Brown to apologize for the offensive actions of his staff and their uneducated, unenlightened and racist portrayal of native peoples."

Brown has responded to the video, calling it "not something I condone," but declined to apologize, saying Warren's actions are what's offensive. "The apologies that need to be made and the offensiveness here is the fact that professor Warren took advantage of a claim, to be somebody -- a Native American -- and using that for an advantage, a tactical advantage," Brown said, per the Boston Globe.