The Native American Guardians Association (NAGA) has sued the Washington Commanders football team for defamation over claims from an employee that the organization is not a legitimate entity.

NAGA has advocated that the Commanders revert to their prior team name of “Redskins,” which the franchise abandoned amid concerns that the term was a slur against Indian groups. The suit names owner Josh Harris, sales representative Matthew Laux, and the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), whom they say have collectively worked to disparage NAGA. The suit demands $1.6 million in damages, Fox 11 reported. The suit follows messages from Laux claiming the group is “fake,” according to the Washington Examiner.

[I suspect that will be a difficult case to win. NAGA made itself into a “public person” in relation to the Sullivan doctrine, and that means that NAGA will have to prove not just the falsity of the claim but “actual malice” in making it. The comment was made by a sales manager for the team in a text message, and it might be argued that NAGA publicized the “defamation” rather than the Commanders, which disavowed it shortly after NAGA went public about it. But winning at trial is likely not the point; this is a brushback pitch, to use a mixed metaphor, in their battle to restore the Redskins team name. — Ed]