Native American lawmaker: Haven't heard from GOP rep who called Warren 'Sacagawea'

Newly sworn-in Rep. Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) says Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) still has not responded to her offer to educate him on why his use of "Sacagawea" to describe Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who claims Native American heritage, is offensive.

Gaetz used the term while appearing on Fox News last week, prompting Haaland, who recently became one of the first two Native American women in Congress, to invite him to meet with her so she could “share how such comments are a continuing assault on indigenous people.”

Appearing on CNN’s "New Day" Tuesday, Haaland said she had yet to hear back from Gaetz. “We reached out on Saturday via email to members of his staff, my scheduler called yesterday and we haven’t heard anything,” Haaland said. “Of course he used a racial slur and that’s getting a little old,” Haaland said in response to Gaetz’s tweet.

“I think the last thing that Mr. Gaetz should be doing is using native women’s names as racial slurs. That doesn’t solve anything,” she said. “And we need to get back to solving the problems for real people in this country, like opening up the government.”

Gaetz did not respond to a request for comment from The Hill on whether he will meet with Haaland.

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/424368-native-american-rep-havent-heard-from-gop-rep-who-called-warren-sacagawea