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Florida Governor Charlie Crist was working feverishly this week to have lawmakers approve an invalidated gambling deal with the Seminoles but Attorney General Bill McCollum says "Not so fast".
"In my constitutional role as Florida's chief legal officer, I am deeply concerned that the Tribe continues to defiantly ignore the decision of the Florida Supreme Court. There can be no dispute that operating banked card games is contrary to Florida law," McCollum wrote to Brian Albritton, U.S.
GOP legislative leaders have all but outright rejected Crist's request made Thursday asking them to add the Seminole compact to the special budget-cutting session that begins Jan. 5. And McCollum's repeated requests to federal authorities overseeing Indian gambling to shut down the games have been ignored.
The high court ruled that Crist overstepped his authority with the compact by allowing the tribe to hold the table games which are illegal elsewhere in Florida.
Federal gaming law considers the Las Vegas-style slot machines added to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel in the past year as "Class III" games. These include blackjack, baccarat and roulette.
The Seminoles contend the approval of the slots gives them the ability to operate the card games as long as the state signs off on it.
"The Seminole compact is a way to generate some additional resources, not insignificant resources," Crist told reporters this morning. "So I am encouraging that. Whether it's, you know, during January or March, I think the sooner the better if possible."
But Rep. Bill Galvano, who has close ties to House Speaker Ray Sansom and serves as vice-chairman of the House select committee charged with reviewing the compact, rejected the idea of adding the gambling issue to the special session agenda.
"Obviously we're not doing that. This issue is probably one of the most important issues that we will consider in the next two years. It goes way beyond the fiscal impacts. I know in a tight budget year that's what you want to focus on ... but really we're talking about establishing precedents for generations to come," said Galvano, R-Bradenton.
Senate President Jeff Atwater agreed.
"There are people who are asking. And everyone who's asked believes they've got something extraordinary for economic development ... But I don't see at this point it (the special session) being expanded," said Atwater, R-North Palm Beach.
