Monday, July 13, 2009

Can the Kentucky Legislature be bought?

Well, when I said at the height of the battle over slots during the legislative session that the slots lobby had sent an army of lobbyists to the Capitol, I thought I was exaggerating. But now it's official: The slots lobby hired twenty lobbyists, and the supposedly impoverished racing industry spent a cool $418K to bankroll them.

Twenty. That's at least a squad, and possibly a platoon. Sheez.

Did this blizzard of cash coming from wealthy tracks and other horse interests get them what they wanted? Well, it bought them the House. But, as David Williams made clear, the Senate was not for sale.

But there I go again, engaging in hyperbole.

Oooh, but wait. What's this? Our governor, who was assisted into office thanks to $1 million from the Bluegrass Freedom Fund, supplied by casino magnate William Yung, is trying to purchase two Kentucky senators with lucrative job offers to get them out of the Senate so he can change the anti-slots composure of the chamber and get his slots bill through.

Welcome to politics casino-style.

1 comment:

TomH said...

I'll offer a sawbuck for the whole lot of 'em. ;-)