Marc Dann is Owned by the Gambling Industry
From James Nash and Jim Siegel in The Columbus Dispatch:
As Attorney General Marc Dann worked to settle a long-running lawsuit against a South Carolina company that wants to expand gambling in Ohio, the company’s executives hosted a January fundraiser that netted Dann at least $7,750 from gambling interests.
About four months later, Dann and the company settled the lawsuit. Dann’s office agreed to certify certain of the company’s wagering machines as legal — a reversal of his predecessors’ staunch opposition to gambling.
Campaign-finance reports made public yesterday show that Dann has received more than $47,000 from gambling interests since taking office in January. The Democrat already had reported another $20,000 from gambling interests toward his inauguration and transition expenses.[…]
Kevin DeWine, deputy chairman of the Ohio Republican Party, said Dann is hypocritical to campaign against “pay to play” in state government while accepting contributions from a party to an ongoing lawsuit.
“If that does not smack of pay to play so Ohioans can pay to play video slot machines, I don’t know what it is,” DeWine said. “This is from a guy who campaigned last year to root out corruption in state government and to eliminate the so-called corruption tax.”
Read the rest here.
Mark said,
Wrote on August 1, 2007 @ 5:16 pm
Matthew,
I just had a question about your stance on gambling in Ohio. I know you’re against it, I was just wondering how that fits with your unfettered market outlook on things. Shouldn’t companies be allowed to set a business and make money without “big government” telling them that they can’t? This is a legitimate question on an issue, and I hope it’s not taken any other way. Thanks.
Matthew said,
Wrote on August 1, 2007 @ 5:54 pm
Thanks for your polite question.
I never said I oppose gambling. I have helped my church set up their bingo night, and have played their lottery atleast 3 or 4 times. But I’m hardly a gambler.
But my opposition to Ohio Learn and Earn, the Ohio Lottery, et cetera isn’t that it is gambling- but that both are state-run monopolies. And its deeply offensive to say that one or both of those gambling monopolies would “fix” Ohio’s education system.
Gambling has a harmful effect on society, as it increases the amount that is spent on social services and police. However, if there was an issue on the ballot to completely legalize gambling without state involvement, I’d certainly vote for it
And when state government is involved, then you get corrupt politicians like Marc Dann in a position to make major decisions about gambling, and accept contributions from gambling interests while those decisions are being made. That should offend even the most pro-gambling voter out there.