 Barney
Frank "Cult Hero"
for Online Gambling
A "cult hero for the
online gambling
industry" - that's
how the
Boston Globe
described long time
Massachusetts
Democratic
Congressman Barney
Frank.
The Democratic
congressman from
Newton has quietly
become a cult hero
for poker players
and the online
gambling industry -
the pit boss of
poker politics - by
championing their
cause on Capitol
Hill. Showing their
appreciation,
professional card
sharks poured
thousands of dollars
into his campaign
during a fund-raiser
at the home of a
gambling lobbyist.
Since January 2007,
he has received
$48,300 from poker
interests, making up
about 7 percent of
his individual
contributions,
according to public
records.
More than any other
lawmaker, Frank is
cited by online
gamblers as their
standard-bearer. In
his powerful
position as chairman
of the House
Financial Services
Committee, he has
proposed legislation
that would legalize
their industry,
which has a shadowy
image and is
constantly under
fire by the US
Department of
Justice.
And he is reaping
the rewards.
Recent donors to his
campaign account
include a pit boss
at the Bellagio
Hotel and Casino in
Las Vegas, and a
professional player
named Chris
Moneymaker, the
Globe reported.
In October, 10 of
the country's top
professional poker
players held a
fund-raiser in
Washington for
Frank. They included
Annie Duke ("The
Duchess Of Poker"),
Howard Lederer ("The
Professor"), and
Andy Bloch ("The
Rock").
The chairman of the
Financial Services
Committee was
looking to raise
tens of billions of
dollars with his
bill to repeal an
online gambling
prohibition law, the
Unlawful Internet
Gaming Enforcement
Act (UIGEA).
“It’s a terrible
idea and there are a
large number of
people who think it
is a terrible idea,”
Frank said upon
introducing his bill
last year. “I don’t
know how it ends.
The worst that
happens is that
enough anti-gambling
busybodies will be
less inclined to
interfere in
people’s lives.”
Late last month,
Frank attempted to
pass his bill that
would have
essentially made the
UIGEA unenforceable.
“The existing
legislation is an
inappropriate
interference on the
personal freedom of
Americans and this
interference should
be undone,” said.
Rep. Frank.
The online gambling
industry was
estimated to take in
some $5.9 billion,
with about 8 million
Americans wagering,
according to a study
done in 2005 by
Christiansen Capital
Advisors, a
Maine-based research
firm.
While Frank does not
face much of a
challenge being
re-elected come
November, he most
certainly will be
getting plenty of
votes from the
online poker and
sports betting
industry - votes
that may not have
come his way prior
to Frank's efforts.
----
Christopher
Costigan,
Gambling911.com
Publisher
CCostigan@CostiganMedia.com
Originally published
July 13, 2008 8:19
pm EST
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