Abramoff name invoked to sway votes: report
The proverbial ghost of disgraced-lobbyist Jack Abramoff may have led to the passing of the Unlawful Enforcement Gambling Act, according to a report from Financial Times. Reportedly, Congressman Bob Goodlatte frightened fellow Republican colleagues in the House of Representatives when introducing his anti-gaming legislation back in February, sending each one a letter claiming, “This is the bill Jack Abramoff does not want you to sign.� The mere invocation of the once-powerful Abramoff (who has since plead guilty to corruption charges) re-energized criticisms of online gambling, according to one Washington lobbyist, noting the bill had stalled for the most part until Abramoff’s guilty plea after successfully leading a charge on behalf of eLottery against an earlier version of Goodlatte’s bill. The desire by lawmakers to prove their independence from Abramoff’s biggest cause in Washington ultimately paved the way for passage of the Act.
It was other forces entirely, however, that allowed the bill to be attached to an unrelated port security bill – as well as it passing only hours before lawmakers left Washington to campaign for November’s mid-term elections – specifically, Senate Majority leader Bill Frist chief among them. After initially attempting to attach the bill to defense legislation (only to be rebuffed by Senator John Warner, chairman of the armed services committee) Frist then latched onto the port security measure. Dr. Frist’s motive for the move is speculated to attempt to curry favor with conservative voters ahead of an expected presidential run in 2008, as well as that of fellow lawmaker Jim Leach, on online gambling critic and Iowa Republican.
- Rex Harris