Pequots: GOP made insensitive remark in budget plan

The leaders of the Connecticut GOP had to figure there would be some people upset with their alternative budget. But they probably didn’t expect it to be for a turn of phrase instead of a proposed cut.

According to NBC Connecticut, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe – which operates the Foxwoods Casino and MGM Grand – said they took exception to “insensitive remarks” in the Republican budget presentation.

In discussing their proposal to cut more than 1,300 state managerial jobs, the GOP said, “organizations that are ‘top heavy’ or have ‘too many chiefs and not enough Indians’ are rarely successful and almost never efficient”

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Council was dismayed to learn that the Republican’s proposed budget was published without any regard for the inappropriate reference contained therein,” the Council said in a statement Tuesday posted by NBC Connecticut. “Though perhaps an oversight, the Council sincerely hopes that this matter will be swiftly eradicated, accompanied by appropriate amends to all those who may have been equally affronted.”

It did not take long for the GOP leadership to apologize by issuing the following statement: “It was brought to our attention that a phrase included in the budget materials we presented today were offensive to Native Americans and should not have been used … It was an unintentional mistake but insensitive none-the-less and will not be repeated. We apologize to Native Americans and anyone else who lightly takes offense.”

Tom Cleary