Republicans may use Abramoff scandal against online gambling

[The Buzz]

The Jack Abramoff scandal was a disaster for Republicans after the lobbysist was convicted of defrauding Indian casino gambling interests.

That was a few years ago. Now, the Washington Post reports, Republicans might use a memo that ties Abramhoff's and the lobbying firm that employed him, Greenberg Traurig, also did a significant amount of work on behalf of foreign-based gambling Web sites.

From the Post:

Citing lobbying disclosure records, the GOP memo asserts that Internet gambling interests paid "Team Abramoff" nearly $5 million from 2001 to 2004, including clients such as the Interactive Gaming Council of Vancouver, which is helping to lead efforts to legalize online gambling in the United States. "While Jack himself is now imprisoned, many of his former associates continue to carry out Abramoff's plan to legalize Internet gambling in the United States," the GOP memo reads.

Gambling proponents bristle at such attacks, and say the memo is full of misinformation that treats all Greenberg Traurig clients as if they were connected to Abramoff, who was fired by the firm. Keith Furlong, deputy director of the Interactive Gaming Council, said his group "never retained Jack Abramoff in any capacity. We did retain others at his firm at the very end of his tenure there, and we continue to do so, but we have never had a relationship with him."

[Anthony]

Abramoff had many clients. To single out online gambling this way shows they have nothing tangible to make an argument for continued prohibition. The GOP is grasping at straws.

[Caruso]

To single out online gambling this way shows they have nothing tangible to make an argument for continued prohibition.

Granted. But they are largely thick. They could have a bunch of arguments, but they're too dim to find them.

The Frank bill is actually very restrictive - I guess he made it that way to appeal as much as possible to the prohibitionists. If it ever does become law, there's a bunch of Costa Rican, Artiguan & Barbudan and Maltese shitholes that are not going to be very happy.