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 Kentucky
Derby Bets Going
Towards Political
Campaign
New Jersey
Republican
Senatorial hopeful
Murray Sabrin has
put his funds on a
Kentucky Derby long
shot
The New York Times
reports that New
Jersey Senatorial
hopeful Murray Sabin
is using Federal
campaign funds to
bet on horses -
and more
specifically, Cowboy
Cal in Saturday's
Kentucky Derby.
Sabrin, who is
running in the
Republican primary
for the seat held by
incumbent Democratic
Sen. Frank
Lautenberg, is using
the proceeds from an
hour-long online
fund-raiser this
afternoon to bet it
all on Cowboy Cal in
tomorrow’s Kentucky
Derby.
Yes, that’s
right—he’s using
federal campaign
funds to bet on the
horses. “At 20-1, if
we can raise just
$25,000 online
during this money
bomb and Cowboy Cal
wins the Kentucky
Derby, we will have
enough money to win
the primary,” Sabrin
reasoned in a
campaign statement.
Gambling911.com
first reported that
Sabin would be
holding the
fundraiser on Friday.
The Republican -
along with his
friend and supporter
Presidential
candidate Ron Paul -
have been outspoken
about present
prohibition that
outlaws many forms
of online gambling.
Horse racing has
been exempt from the
legislation however.
Dr. Sabin told
Gambling911.com last
week "When I take my
place in the Senate,
I will say NO to
draconian laws that
infringe upon the
freedom of Americans
to spend their own
hard-earned money
where they see fit!
Enjoying a wager and
participating in
online gaming should
not be banned. And
those who provide
sites that entertain
and provide services
to online gamers
should not be
treated as
criminals."
“If
you want a more
exotic wager, then
try betting a triple
by ‘keying’ Cowboy
Cal with Colonel
John, Gayego and
Eight Belles to come
in place and show. A
$2 bet will cost you
$12. If you win, I
hope you will
consider a generous
donation to my
campaign.”
While
unusual, the
fund-raiser doesn’t
raise any legal
problems, Ken Gross,
a political attorney
at Skadden Arps,
told The Times.
“You’re certainly
allowed to invest
your campaign
funds,” Gross said.
He said the Federal
Election Committee
has not set strict
guidelines on how
candidates can
invest that money,
other than a broad
interpretation that
it should probably
be in a
“responsible”
fashion. There’s
nothing overtly
illegal with putting
campaign funds on
“the nose of the
pony,” Gross said.
----
Christopher
Costigan,
Gambling911.com
Publisher
CCostigan@CostiganMedia.com
Originally published
May 2, 2008 3:30 pm
EST
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