Michaele Salahi with Washington Redskin Cheerleaders
Before making headlines for crashing the White House state dinner, Michaele Salahi posed as a Washington Redskins cheerleader, performing on several occasions with the team’s alumni cheerleading squad — even though the reality star was never a cheerleader.
Salahi faked her way onto the squad, convincing the Washington Redskins Cheerleaders Alumni Association to list her on its membership roster as a cheerleader during the 1991 season under her nickname and maiden name, Missy Holt.
From the Washington Post:
The group’s president, Terri Lamb, said Wednesday, “We have no record that she ever was a Redskins cheerleader. She was listed on our 1991 roster at Ms. Salahi’s request and based on her misrepresentation to us.”
That alleged misrepresentation enabled Michaele Salahi to become a dues-paying member in 2005 and to perform with the group at two other Redskins games at FedEx in 2005 and 2007. Neither of those appearances raised any concerns at the time.
While filming for the reality show “The Real Housewives of D.C.” Salahi performed alongside 150 former Redskins cheerleaders at FedEx Field during halftime at the Redskins – St. Louis Rams game on September 20.
Even though none of the former cheerleaders remembered Michaele being on the squad, and she was unable to perform some of the basic routines, it wasn’t until the story broke last week that she and her husband Tareq Salahi crashed the White House state dinner that they began following up on her credentials as a Redskins cheerleader.
“It takes a lot of time and heart and practice to be a Redskins cheerleader,” said former cheerleader and choreographer Sheryl Olecheck. “It’s really a privilege to wear the burgundy and gold. So I’m resentful. For her to get out there and think she can just shake her pompoms is upsetting.”
The Salahis failed to appear at Thursday’s Homeland Security Committee hearing regarding the White House security breach.