New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) says tribes should be shown the "shotgun" for asserting their sovereignty on tobacco sales.

On his August 13 radio show, Bloomberg said he gave advice to Gov. David Paterson (D) on the issue. "'You know, get yourself a cowboy hat and a shotgun. If there's ever a great video, it's you standing in the middle of the New York State Thruway saying, you know, 'Read my lips: The law of the land is this and we're going to enforce the law,' " Bloomberg said.

"This is an outrage," Bloomberg continued. "You know, if you and I have to pay taxes, everybody should pay taxes -- and this is just a scam to get around the taxes.

"They say, 'Well, if you start taxing, it'll cost a few jobs.' Yeah, the cigarettes are killing our people,'" he said.

The comments drew a critical response from the Seneca Nation. "It's obvious Mayor Bloomberg is supportive of religious freedoms and not sovereign rights. It's precisely this kind of cavalier attitude that has led to the past breaking of treaties by various federal and state governments. Maybe Mayor Bloomberg could use a refresher course on the US Constitution and the need to honor Indian treaties," President Barry Snyder Sr. said in a press release.

Bloomberg has gone after tribal smoke shops in the New York City area for selling tobacco without collecting state taxes.

Get the Story:
Mike to gov: Lasso them cig cheats! (The New York Post 8/14)
Bloomberg tells Paterson to cowboy up, crack down on Senecas selling tax-free smokes on NY thruway (The New York Daily News 8/14)

Relevant Documents:
ATF Letter on Tribal Consultation (May 19, 2010)

Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act:
H.R.1676 | S.1147

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