Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Hitting the fundraising jackpot in Massachusetts
So gambling lobbyists are starting to pump money into the coffers of Massachusetts lawmakers. But it’s only a trickle of money compared to what I saw in Illinois, as a reporter, after riverboat gambling was legalized there in the 1990s. The Illinois medical society, trial lawyers, road contractors and unions used to be the kings of campaign contributions in Illinois. But gambling interests rocketed to No. 1 after floating casinos arrived. It wasn’t pretty. Gambling lobbyists handing out campaign checks inside the Statehouse. A top-ranking House leader quitting his job to accept a job offer at a gambling company, etc. etc. I wrote about it all in a book I co-authored, Illinois for Sale. … Nothing against gambling. I don’t view it as immoral. I like playing the craps table if I happen to be in a casino on vacation. But Massachusetts residents better understand that expanded gambling will change politics here – and it won’t be for the better. … Speaking of Illinois and Massachusetts comparisons, see post below.
P.S. -- A ‘new’ copy of my book is now going for $49.91, up from the standard $0.01 of late? Interest in the Blago/Obama era must be driving up demand and prices.
So gambling lobbyists are starting to pump money into the coffers of Massachusetts lawmakers. But it’s only a trickle of money compared to what I saw in Illinois, as a reporter, after riverboat gambling was legalized there in the 1990s. The Illinois medical society, trial lawyers, road contractors and unions used to be the kings of campaign contributions in Illinois. But gambling interests rocketed to No. 1 after floating casinos arrived. It wasn’t pretty. Gambling lobbyists handing out campaign checks inside the Statehouse. A top-ranking House leader quitting his job to accept a job offer at a gambling company, etc. etc. I wrote about it all in a book I co-authored, Illinois for Sale. … Nothing against gambling. I don’t view it as immoral. I like playing the craps table if I happen to be in a casino on vacation. But Massachusetts residents better understand that expanded gambling will change politics here – and it won’t be for the better. … Speaking of Illinois and Massachusetts comparisons, see post below.
P.S. -- A ‘new’ copy of my book is now going for $49.91, up from the standard $0.01 of late? Interest in the Blago/Obama era must be driving up demand and prices.
