Bloomberg Calls Shinnecock Tribe 'Disaster'; Sparks Fury

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — Presidential candidate and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg sparked controversy during a campaign rally in Oklahoma City last week when he described the Shinnecock Indian Nation as a "disaster."

According to Native News Online, Bloomberg was holding the rally to "roll out his Native American plan," which would aim to "reverse historical injustices, affirm tribal sovereignty and protect the most vulnerable Native Americans from assault, attacks on voting rights and health disparities."

He then, according to Native News Online, spoke about the Savanna's Act legislation in the United States Senate to fight back against violence toward women —and then referenced the Shinnecock tribe.

A YouTube video shows Bloomberg's comments the Shinnecock tribe.

According to Bloomberg, the Shinnecock tribe, located near his home in the Hamptons, "is just a disaster. There are all sorts of problems . . . And I will help them as well because we just can't have a group where there is all the domestic violence and drugs and alcoholism. We've just got to do something. When you see that, you've got to say, 'Something's wrong,' and then we've got to stop it and actually give them some services."

The Shinnecock Indian Nation's Council of Trustees responded with a release saying that Bloomberg, at the political rally in Oklahoma City, made an "outrageous statement." While Bloomberg has resided in the Hamptons for years, the statement said, "not once has he set foot on our territory. The Shinnecock Nation community suffers from some of the same problems that plague communities all throughout America. The pain and suffering of a community should not be summed up by generalizing that the Land the Shinnecock people have occupied, honored and protected" for generations is a "disaster."

The Council of Trustees then invited Bloomberg and other presidential candidates to the reservation to see its "vibrant community, instead of casting aspersions and generalizations while living in his multi-million dollar palace on our traditional lands."

Adding that the Shinnecock people are proud of their accomplishments and culture, the Council said that while Bloomberg lives near the ancestral burial grounds — which the town has recently agreed to protect after years of outcry from tribal members protesting desecration of the land by developers — he has "never offered any support or inquired about our issues until this election cycle."

The Shinnecock Nation, the release said, has long been a strong advocate on issues such as protecting the ancestral burial grounds, recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day, water access rights and others.

The Shinnecock tribe's fight to protect their sacred burial sites was the focus of a recent PBS documentary, "Conscience Point."

"If he is serious about helping the Shinnecock people and Indian Country, he should visit our nation and we would be excited to educate him on the issues affecting our community. Instead of passing us on his way to the Ballyshear Estate he can walk the walk and use his resources and influence to help the Shinnecock people," the release said.

Shinnecock Nation Vice President Lance Gumbs also spoke out on what he called Bloomberg's "callous and inexplicable comments."

Bloomberg, Gumbs said, "has a history of saying off-the-cuff disparaging remarks about Indian issues without really understanding the effects his statements will have on the people he is referring to. Again, we invite candidate Bloomberg, our neighbor, to come over to the Shinnecock territory to see our community and to learn firsthand why his comments were offensive and hurtful. The actions of a few individuals does not define our nation and the hardworking people who get up and go to work every day to make a living. Thousands of people attend our powwow and many other events throughout the year and have come to love our community."

Gumbs added: "Presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg, you need to come see for yourself what the Shinnecock Nation is all about and not get your information from some unwarranted headlines. We await your response!"

Tela Troge, a member of the Shinnecock tribe, also reflected: "We are all disappointed that Mike Bloomberg made these disparaging comments about our community without having ever met us. We invite him to come meet with our Shinnecock leaders and discuss all of the initiatives Shinnecock Nation is working on and we hope that he is sincere in his offer to assist us whether he is elected or not."

A request for comment to Bloomberg's media contact was not initially returned.