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Casinos Not Shy about Giving Money to Lott, Others25 September 2000BILOXI, Mississippi – Sept 25, 2000 – As reported by The Associated Press: "…A report by the Washington-based Center for Responsible Politics lists Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., among the top 20 recipients of gambling industry money in the 2000 federal election cycle. But gambling dollars make up only a small portion of the senator's nearly $3.8 million election-year bankroll. The gambling industry's growing clout on Capitol Hill is reflected in the report. The industry since 1990 has made $24.1 million in political contributions, with $14 million coming in the form of soft money, funds that can only be used to advocate an issue. Other contributions have included $3 million from political action committees, and $7 million in payments from industry executives. About $18.5 million of the contributions came during the 1996, 1998 and 2000 election-year cycles, a period during which commercial casinos and American Indian tribal government gambling operations spread from Nevada and Atlantic City to 28 states. The industry's political giving in 1990 amounted to only $361,169. 'This controversial industry contributes big political dollars from a relatively small donor pool, comprised of casinos, racetracks and Indian gaming operations,' the Center for Responsible Politics said on its Web site. 'As gambling has become more geographically widespread, the industry's largesse to federal candidates and parties has risen dramatically,' the report said. But when compared to the 123 other industries profiled in the center's report, gambling companies are not very big players…" |