[oldembed src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Y8bDcD81AiY" width="425" height="319" resize="1" fid="21"]
Via ProgressNow New Mexico, a story so bizarre, it's bad even for a Republican! This is really shocking, especially in a place with such a strong Native American population. I guess they're so used to thinking of anyone who isn't a white male as lesser, he didn't think he was saying anything wrong. Either that, or he was drunk:
A RNC National Committeeman told Governor Susana Martinez's staff that her agreeing to meet with Native Americans is disrespectful to the memory of Col. George Armstrong Custer, the infamous cavalry officer who killed thousands of Native Americans in the 1800s, according to emails obtained by ProgressNow New Mexico.
In a June 8, 2012 email to the governor's senior staff and personal attorney, Pat Rogers wrote in response to an article regarding the governor's annual meeting with the state's tribal leaders:
Quislings, French surrender monkeys, secret supporters (all along) of JAJ [Janice Arnold Jones]
The state is going to hell. Col. Weh would not have dishonored Col Custer in this manner.
I hope who ever recommended this is required to read the entire redist [redistricting law suit] transcript and sit through the entire meeting with the Gov.
Rogers is referring to the governor's attendance at the annual state-tribal leaders summit, a meeting the governor is required by law to attend.
George Armstrong Custer may be regarded as a kind of military hero by Pat Rogers, but to the Native peoples of America Custer represents the bellicose imperialism that was responsible for the systematic slaughter of American Indians throughout this continent.
Pat Rogers is a high-powered GOP lobbyist, partner and Vice-President of the Modrall law firm of Albuquerque, RNC National Committeeman and recent member of the RNC Executive Committee. He has represented Presidential candidates George Bush, Ralph Nader, Congressman Heather Wilson and the Susana Martinez for Governor Committee.
"Such a blatantly racist statement against our native people is offensive from anyone, but to come from a national GOP leader and lobbyist for some of our country's largest corporations is indefensible," said Pat Davis, Executive Director of ProgressNow New Mexico.
"These emails show the contempt and disrespect New Mexico's Republican leadership has for our native people. Unless they drop Pat Rogers immediately, we can rightly assume that those organizations he speaks for, including the RNC, Modrall Sperling and his lobbying clients, feel the same way."
Rogers, through his law firm Modrall Sperling, is a registered lobbyist for some of the nation's largest companies, including Verizon, General Motors, Scientific Gaming, The University of Phoenix, Molina Healthcare and CYRQ Energy. Many of those companies have direct business with the native governments in attendance at that meeting and with native communities across the country.
New Mexico enjoys one of the country's largest Native American populations, with almost 200,000 native persons representing 22 pueblos, tribes and nations, including the Navajo Nation, the largest Native American government in the country.
