The "write a letter to a politician about online gambling" trend has continued this week as Sen. Raymond J. Lesniak wrote a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder that states New Jersey has every right to enact intra-state Internet gambling.

From the GPWA:

In a letter to US Attorney-General Eric Holder, NJ Senator Raymond J. Lesniak - one of the sponsors of New Jersey's proposed sports betting and Internet gambling legislation - stated that "(t)he State of New Jersey should not be impeded in any manner from exercising our rights under our state constitution and under federal law."

Earlier this year, New Jersey's legislature overwhelmingly voted for a bill to permit casinos in Atlantic City to offer intra-state Internet gambling on casino games and poker. Though Gov. Chris Christie vetoed the bill, both he and the legislature indicated a desire to make New Jersey the first state in the US to legalize Internet gambling. A new bill is expected to be introduced sometime later this year.

Lesniak’s letter was in response to one sent a week earlier to USAG Holder by US Senators Harry Reid and Jon Kyl. Both Reid and Kyl insisted that the DOJ crackdown on efforts by states to pass intra-state Internet gambling legislation, claiming it violated federal law including the Wire Act of 1961.