Some members of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation of Connecticut say they have been shunned by their leadership. The Hayward family rebuilt the tribe in the 1970s and 1980s. Richard "Skip" Hayward, the grandson of Pequot matriarch Elizabeth George, secured the federal recognition that led to the opening of the Foxwoods Resort Casino in the 1990s. But after Hayward lost the chairman's post, family members say they have been cast aside by the Sebastians, a rival family. They say they have been fired, demoted and pushed out of jobs. Chairman Michael Thomas, a Sebastian, denies any split along family lines or ethnic lines -- the Haywards mainly marred whites while the Sebastians mixed with African-Americans. "We are no different than other large families in terms of diverse opinions," he told The New York Times. Others, including Hayward family members, say Skip bears some of the blame for the situation. They say his leadership style and business endeavors affected tribal morale. Get the Story:
Family Behind Foxwoods Loses Hold in Tribe (The New York Times 6/22)
pwnyt
