Politicslobbyistsonline gamblingPolitics

Where There's Money To Be Had, Republicans Lobby For Soros, Democrats Lobby For Adelson

Where There's Money To Be Had, Republicans Lobby For Soros, Democrats Lobby For Adelson
Open Image Modal
By 

Senior Reporter, HuffPost

|
Open Image Modal
Billionaire Sheldon Adelson, chairman and chief executive officer of Las Vegas Sands Corp., speaks during a news conference at the 11th CLSA Japan Forum in Tokyo, Japan, on Monday, Feb. 24, 2014. Las Vegas Sands, the world's largest gambling company by market value, said it's ready to invest $10 billion in Japan, projected to be Asia's second-largest casino market. Photographer: Tomohiro Ohsumi/Bloomberg via Getty Images

WASHINGTON -- Partisan lines are blurring as money pours into Washington in the fight over Internet gambling. Republican lobbyists are signing up to advocate for a company backed by one of the biggest Democratic Party donors, while Democratic lobbyists are taking money to help one of the most prolific GOP donors.

According to recent lobbying registration forms, Caesars Entertainment has signed up BGR Group and Clark Geduldig Cranford Nielsen, two major Republican lobbying firms, as it looks to win big profits through online gambling.

The Las Vegas casino company is launching its bid for Internet gambling supremacy through affiliate Caesars Acquisition Company. Its bet is being backed by billionaire investors George Soros, John Paulson and Leon Cooperman. Soros, who contributed tens of millions of dollars to independent groups to defeat President George W. Bush in the 2004 election, has already given more than $1 million to Democratic super PACs in the 2014 election cycle.

But the lobbyists signed up for Caesars include former Republican National Committee chairman and Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour through his BGR Group and former Republican House staffers Sam Geduldig and Jay Cranford.

Meanwhile, billionaire Sheldon Adelson's Las Vegas Sands Corporation has hired lobbyists, several with strong Democratic ties, at Capitol Counsel, Lincoln Policy Group and Steptoe & Johnson, as the company seeks to ban online gambling and cut into its competitors' profits.

Adelson pumped more than $100 million into Republican super PACs and "dark money" nonprofits in the 2012 election. More recently he has declared that he is willing to "spend whatever it takes" to defeat the "threat to our society" posed by online gambling.

The GOP mega-donor's Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling is getting lobbying help from former Democratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln (Ark.) through her Lincoln Policy Group. The coalition has also signed up bipartisan teams of advocates at Capitol Counsel -- Republican Aaron Cohen and Democrat Drew Goesl -- and Steptoe & Johnson -- Republican Daryl Nirenberg and Democrat Jason Abel, a former aide to Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).

The various lobbying firms declined to comment or did not respond to requests for comment.

Already, Adelson has received backing from Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who introduced legislation to ban Internet gambling. Graham has received more than $20,000 this election cycle from Adelson, his family and the Sands Corporation's political action committee, according to Federal Election Commission records.

Support HuffPost

At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.

Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.

Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your will go a long way.

Support HuffPost

Before You Go

Out-Of-Touch Politicians
Rudy Giuliani And The Price Of Milk(01 of11)
Open Image Modal
While running for president in 2007, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani told a reporter at a Montgomery, Ala., supermarket that he estimates "a gallon of milk is probably about a $1.50, a loaf of bread about a $1.25, $1.30, last time I bought one." It must have been a few election cycles since his last trip: The grocery store's website listed milk for $3.38 and bread up to $3.49. (credit:AP)
Dan Quayle And Single Mothers(02 of11)
Open Image Modal
During George H.W. Bush's reelection campaign in 1992, Vice President Dan Quayle scoffed at the "Murphy Brown situation," referring to a television character who had a child out of wedlock. Quayle called the Brown story "totally unreal," adding, "A highly paid professional woman [with a baby] ... give me a break." (credit:AP)
Martha Coakley And Shaking Hands(03 of11)
Open Image Modal
In a display of aloofness that many political observers say led to her defeat by Republican Scott Brown, Democratic Senate candidate and Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley erred in brushing off the idea of ramping up her campaigning. When asked whether she was being too apathetic, she referenced one of Brown's ads and fired back, "As opposed to standing outside Fenway Park? In the cold? Shaking hands?" (credit:AP)
Spiro Agnew And Poor Neighborhoods(04 of11)
Open Image Modal
Republican vice presidential candidate Spiro Agnew, branded as Richard Nixon's go-to guy on cities, vowed in 1968 to avoid poor neighborhoods. "If you've seen one slum, you've seen them all," Agnew said. (credit:AP)
Gerald Ford And Tamales(05 of11)
Open Image Modal
While visiting the Alamo in 1976, President Gerald Ford bit into a tamale through the husk, a faux pas later deemed the "Great Tamales Incident." (credit:AP)
George H.W. Bush And Grocery Scanners(06 of11)
Open Image Modal
President George H.W. Bush caught flak for appearing awed by a supermarket check-out scanner while touring a grocers convention in 1992. It turned out the president was being shown a new bar code technology, and the convention worker who was alongside Bush later said it's "foolish to think the president doesn't know anything about grocery stores. He knew exactly what I was talking about." (credit:AP)
George W. Bush And Gas Prices(07 of11)
Open Image Modal
In 2008, President George W. Bush said he had not heard predictions that gas prices could soon hit $4 a gallon. At the time, the national average was $3.29 a gallon. (credit:AP)
John Kerry And Cheese Steak(08 of11)
Open Image Modal
In 2003, Democratic presidential contender John Kerry ordered Swiss cheese on a cheese steak while campaigning in South Philadelphia, straying from the traditional favorite topping, Cheez Whiz. (credit:AP)
Michael Dukakis And The Tank(09 of11)
Open Image Modal
Democratic presidential contender Michael Dukakis tried to one-up Republican opponent George H.W. Bush on national defense by striking a pose in an M1 Abrams tank. (credit:AP)
Mitt Romney And Wawa(10 of11)
Open Image Modal
Mitt Romney has had his fair share of seemingly out-of-touch statements this election cycle, admitting he likes to "fire people" and expressing amazement at the touchscreen ordering system at convenience store Wawa. (credit:AP)
Barack Obama And The Private Sector(11 of11)
Open Image Modal
President Barack Obama is not exempt from the "gotcha" moment. In June, he described the private sector economy as "doing fine." The gaffe immediately elicited comparisons with his 2008 Republican opponent, John McCain, who said that the "fundamentals of the economy are strong" in the midst of a crippling financial crisis. (credit:AP)
Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip