Georgia: Democracy for sale

Donors to Deal, Barnes have interest in casino

A little more than a year ago, backers of a proposed casino at Underground Atlanta quietly acknowledged that they weren’t going to get anywhere as long as opponent Gov. Sonny Perdue was in office.

Now they're pouring money into both sides of this year’s governor’s race, according to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution analysis of business giving from July 1 through Sept. 30, based on the candidates' first campaign finance filings of the general election.

The analysis found that the Underground gambling group -- including developers Dan O'Leary, John Aderhold and their businesses, employees and family members -- gave $36,600 to Republican Nathan Deal in the past few months, and another $30,900 to Democrat Roy Barnes, in a sign that the dormant gambling issue may be poised to come back.