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Harry Reid to NFL: Lay Off Tom Brady

But minority leader would welcome the Oakland Raiders to Vegas

Unless there's another court appeal, it looks like Patriots QB Tom Brady may have to sit out four games next season over the 'Deflategate' scandal. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
Unless there's another court appeal, it looks like Patriots QB Tom Brady may have to sit out four games next season over the 'Deflategate' scandal. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid would welcome the National Football League to Las Vegas, but he wants the league office to give up on punishing New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.  

“I agree with Donald Trump, leave Tom Brady alone! Enough’s enough,” the Nevada Democrat said Tuesday. “So he put too much air, not enough air in a football. Big deal. Leave him alone.”  

The NFL prevailed in a federal appeals court Monday, where judges reinstated Brady’s four-game suspension related to alleged deflated footballs at the AFC Championship game in January 2015.  

UNITED STATES - DECEMBER 15: Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., speaks to reporters after the Senate Democrats' lunch in the Capitol on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2015. (Photo By Bill Clark/Roll Call)
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., weighs in on the Tom Brady controversy and pitches his state for the Oakland Raiders.  (Photo By Bill Clark/Roll Call)

Reid was asked later in the news conference about published reports that the NFL’s Oakland Raiders, seeking a new stadium to replace the outdated Oakland Coliseum, had expressed interest in a move to Nevada.  

“The owner of the Raiders has said if the domed stadium is built in Las Vegas, he will do everything within his power to bring Oakland to Las Vegas for football,” he said.  

Reid said he would support the move. “Of course, why wouldn’t I?”  

“As long as it’s not the Bills, it’s okay,” quipped New York Sen. Charles E. Schumer, referring to the only NFL team which actually plays its home games in the Empire State, and a divisional rival of Brady’s New England Patriots.  

“The Bills? They came to us, we don’t want them,” Reid said.  

“We want ’em,” replied Schumer.  

Contact Lesniewski at nielslesniewski@cqrollcall.com and follow him on Twitter @nielslesniewski.

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