Senators behind latest attempt to hobble online gambling named
News on 29 Sep 2016
News on 29 Sep 2016
A growing number of US publications are picking up on the introduction to the US Senate last week of bill S.3376 aka “RAWA v.2.0” ( see previous reports).
Among recent reports is one from the Washington Post, which identified Republican Senators Mike Lee (Utah) and Lindsey Graham (South Carolina) as co-sponsors for Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton’s proposal.
Graham has long been considered to be influenced by land casino tycoon and major Republican benefactor Sheldon Adelson, and was a leading figure in the introduction of Adelson’s so far unsuccessful Restoration of America’s Wire Act to the Senate (see previous reports).
Several publications have commented on news that on the day prior to Cotton’s introduction of S.3376 Adelson donated $20 million to a super Political Action Committee (PAC) titled the Senate Leadership Commission, an entity with ties to the Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
The donation came to light through a filing with the Federal Election Commission, and follows several other alleged hand-outs from Adelson or his family to Republican political causes, including a similar amount to a House of Representatives fund supporting Republican candidates, and $25 million to a super PAC supporting the Republican cause founded by football club owner Joe Ricketts.
Somewhat further down the scale, Adelson has also donated $1.5 million to a fund helping Senator Kelly Ayotte, a New Hampshire Republican politician, RAWA co-sponsor and vociferous online gambling opponent.
Adelson spending on this year’s political elections in the States has been relatively restrained so far, and a long way short of the billionaire’s reported $150 million in mainly Republican donations in 2012.
Political observers have suggested that the billionaire land casino owner is focusing more on lower levels in the electoral process, such as members of congress and state political contests, where he can best further his interests.
The US press has also made much of the Adelson family’s prominent VIP front seating in the Trump section of the audience for the first Clinton vs. Trump presidential debate earlier this week, and the respect paid to the multi-billionaire by Republican luminaries.
