(Boston Globe EXPOSE! Bush Ties) "Gambling, GOP Politics Intertwine."

[KoKo]

Gambling, GOP politics intertwine
Casino payments seen as influential

By Michael Kranish, Globe Staff | June 3, 2005

WASHINGTON -- George W. Bush gave the nation's gambling industry plenty of reason to fear his presidency.

As the investigations continue, the politics of gambling are crucial to understanding how some Republican leaders and organizations have profited from the industry. When Bush was a firm opponent of gambling, his position opened the door for GOP lobbyists to court gaming tribes worried about a tough administration policy. After Bush dropped his antigambling rhetoric, lobbyists touted their access, and fund-raising from Indian tribes grew exponentially.

Among the prominent figures who have come under the scrutiny of Senate and federal investigators are Norquist, whose organization received $1.5 million from tribes and fought a tax on Indian casinos; lobbyist Jack Abramoff, a top Bush fund-raiser who earned millions of dollars in fees as a consultant to gaming tribes; and Ralph Reed, the former director of the Christian Coalition who allegedly used some money from Indian gaming tribes to fund his efforts to close down rival casinos and lotteries. House majority leader Tom DeLay, who has said he is strongly antigambling, also has drawn media scrutiny because of his ties to Abramoff and opposition to an Indian gaming tax.
''We had great hopes and expectations when Bush was elected," said Tom Grey, a Methodist minister who heads the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling. But now ''gambling has become the feeding trough" for politicians, he said

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/06/03/gambling_gop_politics_intertwine/

[merh]

1. ... But now ''gambling has become the feeding trough" for politicans...

What a wise statement, glad the minister finally had an awakening. :hi:

[Nothing Without Hope]

2. Whereever there is money, there you will find the pigs at the trough.

I hope these connections are exposed and loudly publicized. The GOP leadership is utterly corrupt and so blatant about it, it could only have been kept secret with a Poodle Press on its tight leash.

[Robbien]

3. Isn't it a shame that this story has been in the public domain

for months and months, but even the Boston Globe calls it an expose when they get around to printing a story on it.

[oppositionmember]

4. At a time when a journalist couldn't roll over in bed...

without finding a scandal, the Globe finally has.

[Eloriel]

5. Gee, sounds a bit like an extortion scheme/protection racket,

doesn't it?

[KoKo]

6. Kick this is a good read....long but good. n't