Arnie made pit stop for Cuban stogie

The Ottawa Citizen ^ | 1 June 2007 | Katie Daubs

[RKV]

A funny thing happened on the way to the airport.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was on his way out of town, after a quick trip to Ottawa to meet Prime Minister Stephen Harper, when he decided to stop his five-car motorcade for a moment.

He got out and walked into the Westin Hotel to get a cigar. It was a Cuban, the kind that can't be found on the shelves of American cigar stores because of a long-standing embargo -- and the kind that Americans aren't legally allowed to smoke, even while away from home. ...

An aide who was with him bought him the Cuban cigar -- a Partagas -- for $15.99.

"They paid for it, he put it in his mouth, and he left," Mr. Assad said, adding that he did get to talk cigars with Mr. Schwarzenegger before he left the store.

[RKV]

Busted. Conspiracy as well, with a straw man purchaser.

[Armedanddangerous]

A Cuban cigar, while good, isn’t any better than a good Honduran cigar..

[wastedyears]

Hahaha

[gas0linealley]

Not to mention the air pollution.

[andy58-in-nh]

...and the kind that Americans aren't legally allowed to smoke.

That part is not true. It is legal to possess them and smoke them in the US; you just can't buy or sell them here. When I'm in Canada, I frequently buy Cuban cigars. Of course, I always smoke them before coming home. ;-)

[1rudeboy]

As long as he didn’t bring it into the U.S., no harm no foul (in the eyes of the law).

[bboop]

What about the green-house gases, tho? Surely this will pollute America in some climate-changing way? He should be arrested at once.

[Ramius]

Good for him.

[RKV]

If you can point me to the "legal" equivalent of a Cohiba panatela, I'd be grateful. I've made a study of this problem, and not found its equivalent.

[Kenton]

When I'm in Canada, I frequently buy Cuban cigars. Of course, I always smoke them before coming home

Think of it as burning their crops...

[Doctor Raoul]

You can take the Communist out of Hollywood, but you can't take the Hollywood out of the Communist.

Hollywood = Fifth Column

[BananaHamock]

Oh Arnold! What was he thinking? Of course if he does it blatantly it will be posted all over the place. Also don't you find it funny that a governor is meeting with heads of state? For more on the subject you should read what Dr. Blaylock has to say about it.

[GoldCountryRedneck]

$15.99

Hmmmm....and, of course, the price included the carbon offset charge so he could actually smoke it.... (/sarc)

[freekitty]

Again, this is what they are spending our money on; so he can casually jet set to whereever to get a cigar. I bet we are paying for it too.

[misterrob]

Welcome to FR....

You posting just to troll for hits for an infomercial website?

[Retired Greyhound]

The best cigars are no longer made in Cuba because the best cigar makers fled.

Not much incentive when Castro takes everything.

As with Fred Thompson, I trust that Arnold is just making sure they are all destroyed.

[RKV]

Sorry rude, but you are not a lawyer, or if you are you are giving out bad advice. Seriously. It is illegal for Americans to purchase or consume Cuban cigars, even outside of the US. Arnie broke Federal law, and conspired with another to do so.

"The United States Treasury Department has tightened its prohibitions against U.S. citizens importing or consuming Cuban cigars.

The department's Office of Foreign Assets Control has announced in a notice posted on the Internet that even Americans licensed to bring back up to $100 worth of Cuban goods will no longer be allowed to include tobacco products in what they carry. Previously, those licensed were exempted from what was otherwise a total import ban on Cuban tobacco products.

The notice also clarifies that Americans are barred from not only purchasing Cuban goods in foreign countries, but also from consuming them in those countries.

The penalties for violating the prohibitions include maximum criminal fines for individuals of $250,000 and imprisonment for up to 10 years. Corporations can be fined as much as a million dollars."

http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2004-10/a-2004-10-06-40-US.cfm?CFID=82531687&CFTOKEN=84701769

[RKV]

As noted in post 9 - “If you can point me to the “legal” equivalent of a Cohiba panatela, I’d be grateful. “

[1rudeboy]

Yikes. I stand corrected.

[Return to the Public]

You are right. The mythical cuban cigar is just that, a myth. The good cigar makers fled Castro’s nightmare and are plying their trade in other south american countries.