Oneida Nation funds campaign committee to oppose GOP candidate

Friday, May 6, 2016  

The Oneida Nation of New York is hoping to defeat one of its critics, a Republican candidate for U.S. Congress.

The tribe launched the Grow the Economy political action committee to oppose Claudia Tenney in her bid for the 22nd Congressional District. The committee will support Tenney's rivals in the GOP primary and pay for television and direct mail ads against the candidate, The Syracuse Post-Standard reported.

"Over the last two decades, we have worked hand-in-hand with this community to build a successful engine of jobs and stability -- but at a time of economic turbulence, what we have all built together is fragile," the tribe said in a statement to the Post-Standard. "In light of that, the last thing Central New York needs in Congress is a divisive person like Claudia Tenney using a public office to seek self-serving headlines that embarrass this region and undermine its economic future."

Tenney, who currently serves in the Assembly, has frequently attacked the tribe and its representative, Ray Halbritter. In April 2015, she posted derogatory image of Halbritter on Twitter that played into her claims that he is not Native.

Tenney ran for Congress in 2014 and the tribe also bankrolled a committee to oppose her. She did not win the GOP nomination.

Get the Story:
Oneida Indian Nation bankrolls PAC against Claudia Tenney in race for Congress (The Syracuse Post-Standard 5/1)