Redskins hire lobbying firm after senators call for nickname change
Redskins owner Daniel Snyder has maintained he will never change the team's name. (George Gojkovich/Getty Images)
The Washington Redskins hired a lobbyist firm last month to help with the backlash surrounding the possible political fight that could ensue over the team's name, which has been in place for more than 80 years, reports Politico.
McGuireWoods Consulting was retained one week after numerous U.S. senators sent a letter to the National Football League asking the team to change the name.
“The NFL can no longer ignore this and perpetuate the use of this name as anything but what it is: a racial slur,” the senators wrote.
McGuireWoods Consulting's lobbying disclosure form says it will conduct “discussions of team origins, history and traditions, Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation and youth sports, activities of Original Americans’ Foundation.”
Part of the company's mission statement reads: "We help our clients craft and implement integrated strategies that connect them with top decision-makers, shape public opinion, and transform public policy."
MORE NFL COVERAGE: Offseason Report Cards | NFL Power Rankings | 2015 NFL Mock Draft
Redskins owner Dan Snyder has repeatedly refused to entertain ideas of changing the name.
“We’ll never change the name,” Snyder said last year. “It’s that simple. NEVER — you can use caps.”
