The latest information basically confirms my original hypothesis (and what folks who were at both Penn and Texas had told me):  no one gave a damn that she had some Native American heritage (though her gender may have been a plus for Harvard), but both schools were eager to add her to their list of "minority" faculty so as to avoid the predictable AALS scrutiny for not having enough ethnic diversity. 

Yawn.

ADDENDUM:  This blog at the Village Voice has a funny round-up of all the ranting by right-wing crazies on this subject, including several (happily marginal) law professors.