Brad Jones, candidate for the Republican and Conservative nomination to Congress in the NY-24th District, announced today that he is adamantly opposed to any Indian Tribe being allowed to place any land in trust within New York State. He publicly stated this position at the Land Trust Forum in Oneida County on January 10th and again at the Land Trust Forum in Madison County on January 11th. Jones calls on Congressman Sherwood Boehlert to state clearly whether the Congressman is for or against the Land in Trust process. Jones says, “Asking for hearings, holding meetings, and getting extensions to response deadlines is all well and good, but will not protect the land owners of the District if the Indian Tribe’s request is ultimately granted. Congressman Boehlert was elected by the tax payers of this District and not the Indian Tribes. He needs to state his position clearly and tell us what he is doing to make sure the Land in Trust process is stopped.”Jones says, “To date, Congressman Boehlert’s position is that we must negotiate and get a mediator involved. I have one message to the Congressman. Just in case he is not aware, the US Supreme Court and the 2nd US Court of Appeals has ruled in favor of the tax payer and we do not have to negotiate. Before these rulings, we offered to negotiate and the Indian Tribes said no. Now we say no!”On this Friday, Seneca County Officials will be meeting with Congressman Boehlert in Utica and Jones strongly recommends that they ask the Congressman directly for a clear public statement of support. Based on the Congressman’s record to date, Jones’ expectation is that the Congressman will issue a “non-statement” stressing support for the process, or that he cannot interfere with the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ (BIA) activity. If this is the case, it will be very clear to Jones and the 11,000 members of UCE that the Congressman is more interested in not upsetting the Indian Tribes than protecting his constituents. Jones says, “Congressman Boehlert must stop hiding behind political statements and tell the citizens of the 24th District whether he is for them or the Indian Tribes!”
