Will Washington DC councillor launch another legalisation bid?

Either by accident or design, the US Congress allowed the first intrastate attempt at online gambling legalisation in Washington DC to pass, but it is unlikely to ignore a second attempt, opines Councillor Michael A. Brown, who pushed the first bill through, only to see it repealed by his fellow councillors earlier this month.

Following the repeal, Brown said he would launch another bill, but this has yet to materialise.  This week he told the Washington Post that he was still considering the move, but had concerns over how the US Congress would react in the 30 day window allowed it in such cases.

In his original attempt, the bill had gone through without Congressional interference or comment, but that might not be the case in a reprise, he noted.

Brown also took a swing at fellow councillors who had voted 10 to 2 for repeal, claiming that the manner in which the bill had passed attached to a supplementary budget measure at the end of 2010 had left them in the dark.

Brown has repeatedly questioned this contention, pointing out that it was at the very least difficult to include questionable proposals in a budget which was circulated a month ahead for councillors to mull over and debate or seek clarification.

The councillor remains convinced that it is important for Washington DC to position itself among the pioneers of online gambling legalisation in order to reap the best benefits.

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