DID THE WHITE HOUSE INTERVENE IN ONLINE GAMBLING BILL?

(664) (10-October-2006)

Powerful persuasion  on the eve of the vote...

If a story appearing today in the Financial Times is accurate, the presidential signing into law of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act is likely to be a slam-dunk.

The respected publication carried a story quoting unidentified lobbyists who summarised the events leading up to the presentation of the Goodlatte Bill, including the exploitation of the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal as a spur to get politicians to sign up for the anti-online gambling measure.  It covers the House approval of the combined Goodlatte and Leach bills and how this stalled in the Senate before being picked up and pushed by Senators Kyl and Frist, ultimately leading to the attachment of the compromise measure to the must-pass port security bill and the early morning approval of both.

The article also carries the startling news that the attachment to the port security bill was encouraged by the White House, according to two lobbyists who told the Financial Times that this was an important element in the whole process.

The FT reports: "One day before Saturday's vote on the legislation, two lobbyists who followed the bill alleged the last-minute intervention of the White House, which encouraged Republican senators to support the legislation, gave the bill the momentum it needed to be attached to the port security bill and passed by the Senate.

"Both lobbyists contend the White House sought passage of the bill following the release of a bipartisan congressional report that documented contacts between the White House and Mr Abramoff and his partners, including contacts between the lobbyist and Karl Rove , chief political strategist for George W. Bush, president."