WASHINGTON (AP) -- Decrying Howard Milstein's lawsuit as ``mean-spirited,'' Washington Redskins general manager Charley Casserly today said he did not interfere with the New York banking magnate's failed effort to buy the team. ``The allegations are false and have no basis in fact,'' Casserly, in his first public comments on the suit, said in a statement released by the team. ``I do not know why he has included me in this mean-spirited lawsuit. I will vigorously defend myself.'' Casserly said he has retained Robert S. Bennett, President Clinton's lawyer in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case. Casserly and team president John Kent Cooke were named defendants in the lawsuit filed Monday by Milstein, who claimed the two worked in a ``systematic bid to undermine the bidding process'' so that Cooke could become the new owner of the Redskins. Milstein reached an agreement with the trustees of the estate of the late Jack Kent Cooke in January to buy the team for $800 million, but he withdrew the bid at an NFL owners' meeting April 7 after it became apparent that he did not have the 24 votes needed for approval among the 31 owners. Daniel Snyder, Milstein's junior partner in the bid, has since submitted his own $800 million offer, which is expected to be approved when the owners meet next week in Atlanta. Milstein's suit does not attempt to block the sale of the team to Snyder. In the suit, Milstein said Cooke, with Casserly's help, ``used league officials and certain owners themselves to unfairly block our bid.'' The choice of Casserly as a defendant was a surprise when Milstein announced the suit, which seeks tens of millions of dollars in damages. John Kent Cooke, though unable to match an $800 million bid for his father's team, is a wealthy man in a position to defend himself against what he has called the ``petulant charges'' from Milstein. Casserly is not wealthy, however, and Bennett accused Milstein of trying to ``bankrupt'' a loyal member of the Redskins organization since 1977. ``I just don't understand why Mr. Milstein, with his millions and millions, files a suit against Charley Casserly, which from its reading is designed to bankrupt Charley and his family,'' Bennett said. ``We're just vigorously going to protect Charley.'' Bennett would not specifically address how Casserly would be able to afford what could become a costly defense, but the lawyer did say he was ``sure the (Redskins) organization will stand behind him as this is the morally right thing to do and is legally required as well.'' The NFL had no comment. Representatives of Milstein did not immediately return calls seeking comment and Snyder was out of town and could not be reached. If it gets to court, the suit could mark another messy chapter in the NFL's long string of legal battles. Other team owners and legal officials, including commissioner Paul Tagliabue, could be summoned and asked to detail the behind-the-scenes process the league uses to choose its owners. -=-=- 