Nevada lawmaker: Cliven Bundy supporters are setting up 'checkpoints' against residents

A Nevada congressman contacted law enforcement saying supporters of rancher Cliven Bundy have set up checkpoints for drivers' "residency" before letting them pass, KVVU-TV reported on Monday.

Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV) expressed his concerns in a letter to Clark County Sheriff Doug Gillespie, citing comments from his constitutents in the state's 4th congressional district, which includes Bunkerville, the site of the camp that sprung up following Bundy's declaration of defiance against the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) earlier this month.

"We must respect individual constitutional liberties, but residents of and visitors to Clark County should not be expected to live under the persistent watch of an armed militia," Horsford wrote. "Residents have expressed their desire to see these groups leave their community."

Horford also stated in the letter that, according to constituents, members of militia groups have also "established a presence" on both highways in the area and churches and schools.

"I urge you to investigate these reports and to work with local leaders to ensure that their concerns are addressed in a manner that allows the community [to] move forward without incident," the letter reportedly stated.

The Las Vegas Sun reported that police were investigating Horford's allegations. One officer was quoted as saying that Gillespie was "in contact with multiple people in elected office" regarding the issue.

Buoyed by early support from conservative media, Bundy's dispute with the BLM won him support from several self-avowed militia members and anti-government advocates, including James Yeager, the guns and weapon training company leader who threatened to "start killing people" last year over the prospect of stiffer gun safety laws and the group known as the "Oath Keepers."

But first-person accounts from the camp posted on the Daily Kos suggest a rift has developed, with Oath Keepers members reportedly being barred by individuals identifying themselves as the Bundy camp's security leaders.

"This man and the gentlemen that obeyed that order violated my personal creed," one leader was quoted as saying. "You don't f*cking walk in and say "I'm sorry' and you're back in brother. You can walk in and say you're sorry and you're lucky you're not getting shot in the back because that's what happens to deserters on the battlefield."