When Gambling Buys the Election

Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2012

Editorial: What’s in a name? The future of casinos in Florida

 

By Jac Versteeg

International casino operator Genting has announced that it will end an effort to ask Florida voters to authorize mega-casinos in, say, Miami-Dade County, where Genting bought waterfront property.

A gambling person — excuse us, a “gaming” person — might bet that Genting and other casino hopefuls have concluded that they can get what they want quicker and easier from the Florida Legislature. And — what are the odds? — the Senate has just created a “Gaming” Committee to conduct a thorough review of “gaming” in Florida.

Sen. Maria Sachs, D-Delray Beach, and Sen. Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth, both are on the committee. Both are pro-“gaming.”

Could they at least call it gambling? When lawmakers adopt the industry’s euphemism, it leaves the impression that big casino interests aren’t gambling that they can get what they want; they’re gaming the system to get it.

Jac Wilder VerSteeg
for The Post Editorial Board

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/opinion/editorial-whats-in-a-name-the-future-of-casinos-in/nTfDS/

Gambling Group Raises the Stakes for Rick Scott’s Re-election

By: Jim Turner | Posted: December 19, 2012

Gov. Rick Scott wasn’t a proponent of expanding gambling in Florida as a proposal was debated in the Legislature last spring.

Then again, he never really came out in opposition to the bill before it died in the House.

Now the group that is building up his campaign finances for his 2014 re-election effort have picked up a $100,000 donation from the business behind last session’s drive to allow casino gambling to proliferate in the Sunshine State.

The Genting Group-related firm Bayfront 2011 Development LLC dropped the donation Dec. 17 into the coffers of the Let’s Get to Work electioneering organization.
Earlier this month, Malaysian-based casino giant Genting withdrew its plans to collect signatures to ask voters in 2014 to support a constitutional amendment on casinos.

The Miami-based Bayfront donation was one of 10 worth a combined $284,000 that was reported on Let’s Get to Work’s website.

Others who chipped into Scott’s re-election since Oct. 1 included investor Lloyd Miller of Palm Beach, who contributed $50,000; Flagler Medical Management, $10,000; and St. Joe Co., $10,000.

While Scott has said he doesn’t intend to dip into his personal wealth for his re-election bid after spending an estimated $75 million in 2010, the Let’s Get to Work war chest continues to pose a hurdle for any challenger.

Entering the fourth quarter, the electioneering organization had collected $4.4 million since the start of the year, far outpacing the just over $58,000 raised by Democrat Nan Rich, the former state senator from Weston.

Alex Sink, the state’s former chief financial officer, drew $28 million when running as the Democratic Party candidate for governor in 2010.

Former governor and newly born Democrat Charlie Crist, as a Republican was able to muster $60 million in 2006 but could only scratch together just over $13 million four years later when running for U.S. Senate as an independent.
http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/story/gambling-group-raises-stakes-rick-scotts-re-election