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Showing posts with label gambling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gambling. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
My appearance on last week's "Kentucky Tonight" on Sports Wagering
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Wednesday, January 08, 2014
Gambling measure “dead on arrival” in General Assembly says advocacy group after Beshear speech
Last night's press release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 7, 2014
LEXINGTON—The Family Foundation said that Gov. Steve Beshear's proposal in tonight's State of the Commonwealth address to seek another Constitutional amendment to expand gambling was unrealistic and at odds with many of his other proposals. "The General Assembly has told the casino industry 'No' about fifteen times now,” said Martin Cothran, spokesman for The Family Foundation. “We need to move on to other, more important issues."
"The proposal to expand gambling is effectively dead on arrival in this session. There is a politically volatile situation in the House that is also going to make it very difficult to deal with any controversial issues this session. With Republicans within striking distance of a majority in the House, it would be political suicide for many members to vote on a measure that is going to make a lot of their constituents angry."
Cothran pointed to House Speaker Greg Stumbo's non-committal remarks on expanded gambling after the speech as further evidence of the poor chances the proposal has. "Speaker Stumbo wasn't exactly cheerleading for the proposal. If the Speaker isn't excited about the proposal, it's hard to imagine the measure has much of a chance at all."
If the Governor was really serious about issues like tax reform, Cothran said, he would leave the gambling issue alone this session. "If we get into another fight over gambling, it will suck up all the political oxygen needed to address tax reform or any other major initiative."
The Governor also spent much of his speech on health care issues, which Cothran portrayed as a strange irony: "We're wondering about the health benefits of thousands of Kentuckians sitting at slot machines at casinos with a cigarette in one hand and drink in the other. The governor bemoaned the state's low standing in smoking and cancer. Why would he want to add gambling addiction to the litany of social problems in this state?"
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 7, 2014
LEXINGTON—The Family Foundation said that Gov. Steve Beshear's proposal in tonight's State of the Commonwealth address to seek another Constitutional amendment to expand gambling was unrealistic and at odds with many of his other proposals. "The General Assembly has told the casino industry 'No' about fifteen times now,” said Martin Cothran, spokesman for The Family Foundation. “We need to move on to other, more important issues."
"The proposal to expand gambling is effectively dead on arrival in this session. There is a politically volatile situation in the House that is also going to make it very difficult to deal with any controversial issues this session. With Republicans within striking distance of a majority in the House, it would be political suicide for many members to vote on a measure that is going to make a lot of their constituents angry."
Cothran pointed to House Speaker Greg Stumbo's non-committal remarks on expanded gambling after the speech as further evidence of the poor chances the proposal has. "Speaker Stumbo wasn't exactly cheerleading for the proposal. If the Speaker isn't excited about the proposal, it's hard to imagine the measure has much of a chance at all."
If the Governor was really serious about issues like tax reform, Cothran said, he would leave the gambling issue alone this session. "If we get into another fight over gambling, it will suck up all the political oxygen needed to address tax reform or any other major initiative."
The Governor also spent much of his speech on health care issues, which Cothran portrayed as a strange irony: "We're wondering about the health benefits of thousands of Kentuckians sitting at slot machines at casinos with a cigarette in one hand and drink in the other. The governor bemoaned the state's low standing in smoking and cancer. Why would he want to add gambling addiction to the litany of social problems in this state?"
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Wednesday, July 03, 2013
PRESS RELEASE: State High Court announces oral arguments on Instant Racing case, discovery to be discussed
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 3, 2013
LEXINGTON, KY—"We are very encouraged that the Supreme Court wants to talk about what we want to talk about and what the Horse Racing Commission and the horse tracks don't want to talk about," said Martin Cothran, spokesman for The Family Foundation, after the Supreme Court announced oral arguments for the Instant Racing case for 10:00 AM August 21.
"Our brief focused on two issues: whether our right to ask questions was violated at the trial court level and whether Instant racing is parimutuel horse racing." The High Court asked that oral arguments be divided equally between the issue of discovery and the substantive issues of the case.
"We have maintained from the beginning that the facts of this case are essential in order to decide it properly," said Cothran, "and Instant Racing advocates have been opposed to those facts being known. The Court's announcement could be a sign that someone in the legal system actually thinks that they need to know what Instant Racing is in order to make a decision about it."
July 3, 2013
LEXINGTON, KY—"We are very encouraged that the Supreme Court wants to talk about what we want to talk about and what the Horse Racing Commission and the horse tracks don't want to talk about," said Martin Cothran, spokesman for The Family Foundation, after the Supreme Court announced oral arguments for the Instant Racing case for 10:00 AM August 21.
"Our brief focused on two issues: whether our right to ask questions was violated at the trial court level and whether Instant racing is parimutuel horse racing." The High Court asked that oral arguments be divided equally between the issue of discovery and the substantive issues of the case.
"We have maintained from the beginning that the facts of this case are essential in order to decide it properly," said Cothran, "and Instant Racing advocates have been opposed to those facts being known. The Court's announcement could be a sign that someone in the legal system actually thinks that they need to know what Instant Racing is in order to make a decision about it."
###
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Family Foundation files brief in Instant Racing Case
Thursday, May 02, 2013
Did the gambling industry have undue influence in the original Instant Racing decision?
The case was on its way back from the Appeals Court to the trial court when the Kentucky Supreme Court intervened.
Maybe now we know the reason why The Family Foundation was never allowed to ask questions or present evidence.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Did Gov. Beshear sabotage his own casino bill?
After completely screwing up their effort to pass casino gambling in Kentucky, proponents of SB 151, which was soundly defeated on the floor of the State Senate on Thursday in a decisive 21-16 vote, are blaming David Williams for the loss of their bill.
First, Gov. Beshear announces that he's going have the bill out early. He then waits until weeks into the session to introduce the bill. Then, the bill he introduced was so bad that he had to announce the very same day that he was going to have to make changes. Then he makes changes which did absolutely nothing to correct the problems with the bill.
Meanwhile the Governor's own lobbying seemed almost non-existent. And the media campaign was only launched days before the vote.
Look, folks, the effort to pass this bill couldn't have been worse if they were trying to lose it. In fact, the more I look at the facts, the more I think maybe Beshear was trying to kill his own gambling effort. The man has collected campaign cash from expanded gambling advocates for years. But does he really care about their issue?
Here's a fact that I cannot explain without assuming that Beshear tried to do in his own bill. The bill is in committee, and it was known by insiders before the bill got there that they had the votes to get it out. I had it 6-5. It passed out 7-4, although one Democrat reserved the right to vote against it on the floor, which he ended up doing.
Now think about this. Unless Beshear was just completely incompetent (which is not out of the realm of possibility), why, knowing that you didn't have the votes on the floor--a fact which everyone close to the process knew, would you want that bill out of committee and on its way to the floor for what you had to know would be, and, in fact, turned out to be, a crushing defeat?
Why wouldn't you want to keep it in committee for another week or two and wait for your media campaign (which was only launched last week) to take effect, and give yourself time to improve your position?
They knew the bill was in trouble. Why would they push it out knowing that the bill didn't have the votes and knowing that the Republicans knew it didn't have the votes? If you knew a defeat on the floor would doom your bill for the session, why would you do this?
Did Steve Beshear sabotage his own bill?
This was either one of the stupidest political moves I've seen in my years in Frankfort--or it was intentional.
All you advocates of SB 151 out there, you need to have a serious sit down with your boy. You need to ask him why this was handled the way it was. You need to ask him why this bill was pushed out of committee for what he had to have known was certain defeat on the floor.
If he starts to blither and his eyes start to roll in their sockets, you will have one of the two possible answers: the man is in need of full time political care. But if he seems lucid and tries to tell you that he did the best he could to get your bill through, then you will know you've been taken.
Beshear has grown fat on your campaign cash for years now and this is what you get? If I were you, I would ask for my money back.
First, Gov. Beshear announces that he's going have the bill out early. He then waits until weeks into the session to introduce the bill. Then, the bill he introduced was so bad that he had to announce the very same day that he was going to have to make changes. Then he makes changes which did absolutely nothing to correct the problems with the bill.
Meanwhile the Governor's own lobbying seemed almost non-existent. And the media campaign was only launched days before the vote.
Look, folks, the effort to pass this bill couldn't have been worse if they were trying to lose it. In fact, the more I look at the facts, the more I think maybe Beshear was trying to kill his own gambling effort. The man has collected campaign cash from expanded gambling advocates for years. But does he really care about their issue?
Here's a fact that I cannot explain without assuming that Beshear tried to do in his own bill. The bill is in committee, and it was known by insiders before the bill got there that they had the votes to get it out. I had it 6-5. It passed out 7-4, although one Democrat reserved the right to vote against it on the floor, which he ended up doing.
Now think about this. Unless Beshear was just completely incompetent (which is not out of the realm of possibility), why, knowing that you didn't have the votes on the floor--a fact which everyone close to the process knew, would you want that bill out of committee and on its way to the floor for what you had to know would be, and, in fact, turned out to be, a crushing defeat?
Why wouldn't you want to keep it in committee for another week or two and wait for your media campaign (which was only launched last week) to take effect, and give yourself time to improve your position?
They knew the bill was in trouble. Why would they push it out knowing that the bill didn't have the votes and knowing that the Republicans knew it didn't have the votes? If you knew a defeat on the floor would doom your bill for the session, why would you do this?
Did Steve Beshear sabotage his own bill?
This was either one of the stupidest political moves I've seen in my years in Frankfort--or it was intentional.
All you advocates of SB 151 out there, you need to have a serious sit down with your boy. You need to ask him why this was handled the way it was. You need to ask him why this bill was pushed out of committee for what he had to have known was certain defeat on the floor.
If he starts to blither and his eyes start to roll in their sockets, you will have one of the two possible answers: the man is in need of full time political care. But if he seems lucid and tries to tell you that he did the best he could to get your bill through, then you will know you've been taken.
Beshear has grown fat on your campaign cash for years now and this is what you get? If I were you, I would ask for my money back.
Casino advocates need to replace Steve Beshear, not David Williams
For Immediate Release
February 25, 2012
LEXINGTON, KY—The Family Foundation today blasted Gov. Steve Beshear for blaming other people for the defeat of a constitutional amendment to expand gambling in the state. "The governor has only himself to blame for the defeat of his bill," said Martin Cothran, referring to Thursday’s 21-16 defeat of SB 151. "The governor needs to stop blaming Senate President David Williams and take a look at his own incompetent legislative strategy."
Cothran criticized the proponents who said they were going to try to defeat state senators who opposed the bill. "If the casino interests really want to improve their chances to pass expanded gambling legislation, they don't need to replace David Williams and Republican senators; they need to replace Steve Beshear."
"David Williams didn't need to do anything to kill this bill. All he had to do was sit back and watch Beshear self-destruct. This is one of the worst handled legislative initiatives I've seen in 20 years in Frankfort," said Cothran, spokesman for the group.
"We have a governor who apparently can't count votes," said Cothran, who publicly announced over three weeks ago that the bill did not have the support to pass. "We knew weeks ago that this bill didn't have the votes. You're telling me the governor didn't know that?" He said Beshear, who said publicly he had 23 votes, either knew the bill didn't have votes and was misleading the public or he just wasn't competent enough to know what the votes were.
The governor's bill couldn't even garner the support of all the Democrats. "Four members of his own party voted against it. So how is that Williams' fault?"
Cothran said Beshear's incompetent handling of the bill alienated even supporters of casino gambling, and pointed to the fact that even the past president of KEEP couldn't support it. "If you can't even get the support of Brereton Jones, then you need to go back and get some remedial training in legislative politics."
"This bill wasn't even unveiled until four weeks into the session, and the reception was so bad the governor had to announce the same day that he was going to have to change it. They didn't even begin airing commercials until less than a week before the vote."
"Kentuckians don't want monopolies for rich corporations and neither do most legislators."
February 25, 2012
LEXINGTON, KY—The Family Foundation today blasted Gov. Steve Beshear for blaming other people for the defeat of a constitutional amendment to expand gambling in the state. "The governor has only himself to blame for the defeat of his bill," said Martin Cothran, referring to Thursday’s 21-16 defeat of SB 151. "The governor needs to stop blaming Senate President David Williams and take a look at his own incompetent legislative strategy."
Cothran criticized the proponents who said they were going to try to defeat state senators who opposed the bill. "If the casino interests really want to improve their chances to pass expanded gambling legislation, they don't need to replace David Williams and Republican senators; they need to replace Steve Beshear."
"David Williams didn't need to do anything to kill this bill. All he had to do was sit back and watch Beshear self-destruct. This is one of the worst handled legislative initiatives I've seen in 20 years in Frankfort," said Cothran, spokesman for the group.
"We have a governor who apparently can't count votes," said Cothran, who publicly announced over three weeks ago that the bill did not have the support to pass. "We knew weeks ago that this bill didn't have the votes. You're telling me the governor didn't know that?" He said Beshear, who said publicly he had 23 votes, either knew the bill didn't have votes and was misleading the public or he just wasn't competent enough to know what the votes were.
The governor's bill couldn't even garner the support of all the Democrats. "Four members of his own party voted against it. So how is that Williams' fault?"
Cothran said Beshear's incompetent handling of the bill alienated even supporters of casino gambling, and pointed to the fact that even the past president of KEEP couldn't support it. "If you can't even get the support of Brereton Jones, then you need to go back and get some remedial training in legislative politics."
"This bill wasn't even unveiled until four weeks into the session, and the reception was so bad the governor had to announce the same day that he was going to have to change it. They didn't even begin airing commercials until less than a week before the vote."
"Kentuckians don't want monopolies for rich corporations and neither do most legislators."
###
David Williams' devious strategy to defeat the gambling bill
In a devious strategy to defeat the constitutional amendment to expand gambling in Kentucky that has gone entirely undetected by the media, Senate President David Williams secretly took over Gov. Steve Beshear's body and made him completely mishandle his whole legislative strategy to pass the bill, making the governor look like a blithering idiot.
Cleverly manipulating the governor's words and actions, he made him come up with a bill so bad that it even turned off expanded gambling supporters like Brereton Jones, and eventually resulted in alienating four unsuspecting senators from Beshear's own party, who voted against the bill.
He even had the governor hold off on his media campaign until just days before the vote, making it completely ineffective.
Using advanced ventriloquistic techniques, Williams also made Beshear announce that he had the votes he needed to pass the bill, making it look like the governor was so incompetent that didn't know how to count votes.
And then, to make it look like he had nothing to do with, Williams had Beshear blame Williams for the defeat.
Beshear is apparently still unaware of what happened, although he has questioned his aides regarding soreness in a part of his anatomy with which many ventriloquist's dummies often have trouble.
His physicians, however, unaware of William's involvement, concluded that he just got is butt kicked.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
"Is the gambling bill in trouble in committee?" asks family group
For Immediate Release
February 16, 2012
LEXINGTON, KY—The Family Foundation said today that not only has Gov. Steve Beshear's gambling bill lost majority support in the State Senate, but it may be in trouble in the committee to which it was assigned. "The support for this bill is crumbling so fast, it may not even make it out of committee," said Martin Cothran, senior policy analyst for the group.
"The governor just got finished launching his casino bill, and in less than 24 hours it was already starting to look like the Voyage of the Damned."
Cothran said even though the Senate State and Local Government Committee, where SB 151 has been assigned, is the most pro-gambling committee in the Senate, the governor's bill is now hanging on by only one vote. "The bottom is falling out of the expanded gambling effort," he said. "If this bill is in danger in this committee, then it's even deader than we thought, and we thought it was pretty dead."
Cothran noted that the bill, which the governor had weeks to get right, seems to have gotten it all wrong. "This was the best chance anyone has ever had to pass a casino bill," he said. "And the governor blew it."
February 16, 2012
LEXINGTON, KY—The Family Foundation said today that not only has Gov. Steve Beshear's gambling bill lost majority support in the State Senate, but it may be in trouble in the committee to which it was assigned. "The support for this bill is crumbling so fast, it may not even make it out of committee," said Martin Cothran, senior policy analyst for the group.
"The governor just got finished launching his casino bill, and in less than 24 hours it was already starting to look like the Voyage of the Damned."
Cothran said even though the Senate State and Local Government Committee, where SB 151 has been assigned, is the most pro-gambling committee in the Senate, the governor's bill is now hanging on by only one vote. "The bottom is falling out of the expanded gambling effort," he said. "If this bill is in danger in this committee, then it's even deader than we thought, and we thought it was pretty dead."
Cothran noted that the bill, which the governor had weeks to get right, seems to have gotten it all wrong. "This was the best chance anyone has ever had to pass a casino bill," he said. "And the governor blew it."
###
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
PRESS RELEASE: Casino bill an "abuse of the State Constitution, says anti-slots group
For Immediate Release
February 14, 2012
LEXINGTON, KY—The Family Foundation today called the Governor's casino bill an "abuse of the State Constitution" and said it was "not the bill Kentuckians were promised." The comments came in response to today's filing of the Governor's casino gambling bill.
"This bill is an attempt by wealthy horse track owners and casino interests to buy their way into the Constitution like box seats at a ball game," said Martin Cothran, spokesman for the group.
Cothran called the attempt to write a wealthy industry into the Constitution "unprecedented." "This state has never amended its Constitution to favor one industry like this. This bill writes political favors for the Governor's campaign contributors into the very words of the Constitution. The Constitution shouldn't be used by politicians to reward their wealthy friends."
Cothran also pointed out that the people of Kentucky were promised that the money lost by gamblers at slot machines would go to education, health care, public safety, and local government. "But this bill doesn't include any of that. There are favors for fat cats, but no specific provisions for public programs. It just shows what money, power, and influence can accomplish."
His group thinks the bill has little chance of passage in the State Senate, where Cothran said the bill has been steadily losing support over the last four weeks.
###
February 14, 2012
LEXINGTON, KY—The Family Foundation today called the Governor's casino bill an "abuse of the State Constitution" and said it was "not the bill Kentuckians were promised." The comments came in response to today's filing of the Governor's casino gambling bill.
"This bill is an attempt by wealthy horse track owners and casino interests to buy their way into the Constitution like box seats at a ball game," said Martin Cothran, spokesman for the group.
Cothran called the attempt to write a wealthy industry into the Constitution "unprecedented." "This state has never amended its Constitution to favor one industry like this. This bill writes political favors for the Governor's campaign contributors into the very words of the Constitution. The Constitution shouldn't be used by politicians to reward their wealthy friends."
Cothran also pointed out that the people of Kentucky were promised that the money lost by gamblers at slot machines would go to education, health care, public safety, and local government. "But this bill doesn't include any of that. There are favors for fat cats, but no specific provisions for public programs. It just shows what money, power, and influence can accomplish."
His group thinks the bill has little chance of passage in the State Senate, where Cothran said the bill has been steadily losing support over the last four weeks.
###
Thursday, February 09, 2012
Bloggers who need a backbone on the gambling issue
Mica Sims, a libertarian blogger in Kentucky, is waving the white flag on the gambling legislation, just as the legislation has died a quiet death. She argues that we should put the issue on the ballot, she says. Why? Because she's "honestly sick of this issue."
Hmmm.
We're supposed to pass legislation because libertarian bloggers with an apparent lack of fortitude get tired of an issue?
Oh, and her phrasing is very interesting: We need to "put it to the people," she says. Well, the people will certainly have it "put to them" by the gambling industry when they start lining their already formidable pocket books with it.
Hmmm.
We're supposed to pass legislation because libertarian bloggers with an apparent lack of fortitude get tired of an issue?
Oh, and her phrasing is very interesting: We need to "put it to the people," she says. Well, the people will certainly have it "put to them" by the gambling industry when they start lining their already formidable pocket books with it.
Monday, February 06, 2012
PRESS RELEASE: Group says Beshear “lacks confidence in his own legislation," challenges Governor to “stop playing politics” and file the gambling bill
For Immediate Release
February 6, 2012
February 6, 2012
Cothran pointed to claims from the Governor and wealthy gambling interests that Kentuckians supported the legislation by a wide margin, as well as to the Governor's claim that he had the votes in the Senate to pass the bill and asked why, if these things were true, there was any reason for Beshear to wait to file the bill.
"If Kentuckians overwhelmingly support this bill and if he really has 23 votes in the State Senate to the extent he claims," asked Martin Cothran, spokesman for the group, "then why does he have to wait until after the filing deadline to introduce it? He obviously lacks confidence in his own legislation."
"The Governor needs to stop playing politics with this issue and introduce his legislation," said Cothran. "How can you blame other people for the failure of your own legislation, as this Governor has done, when you don't even have the courage to file your bill?"
Cothran said last week that the Governor was bluffing. "This is just further proof that the Governor and his wealthy casino supporters don't have the support they claim."
###
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
PRESS RELEASE: Governor trying to "shift blame" on doomed gambling measure
For Immediate Release
January 31, 2012
LEXINGTON, KY--"The Governor is trying to shift blame from his own inept handling of the now doomed gambling bill so that he can blame it on someone else," said Martin Cothran in response to Beshear's comments today accusing Senate President David Williams of "intimidation." Beshear is trying to blame David Williams for the demise of the constitutional amendment to expand gambling, said Cothran, "but the fault lies squarely with the Governor."
Cothran said the Governor's delaying tactics are what has ultimately doomed the legislation. "He said he would have a bill out three weeks ago. Instead, he keeps delaying. He originally said he would have it out in early January. Now we're into February. He keeps saying 'next week' and 'in a few days.' He's done this so many times now that lawmakers are having a hard time taking him seriously."
"This is the longest drum roll we have ever seen," said Cothran.
The group said Beshear would not be alienating Senate President David Williams unless he had already given up on his own bill. "You don't insult the head of the chamber you're counting on to pass your bill unless you have already given up on it yourself," said Cothran. "If there was any doubt that the gambling bill was already dead, his comments today should have settled it."
January 31, 2012
LEXINGTON, KY--"The Governor is trying to shift blame from his own inept handling of the now doomed gambling bill so that he can blame it on someone else," said Martin Cothran in response to Beshear's comments today accusing Senate President David Williams of "intimidation." Beshear is trying to blame David Williams for the demise of the constitutional amendment to expand gambling, said Cothran, "but the fault lies squarely with the Governor."
Cothran said the Governor's delaying tactics are what has ultimately doomed the legislation. "He said he would have a bill out three weeks ago. Instead, he keeps delaying. He originally said he would have it out in early January. Now we're into February. He keeps saying 'next week' and 'in a few days.' He's done this so many times now that lawmakers are having a hard time taking him seriously."
"This is the longest drum roll we have ever seen," said Cothran.
The group said Beshear would not be alienating Senate President David Williams unless he had already given up on his own bill. "You don't insult the head of the chamber you're counting on to pass your bill unless you have already given up on it yourself," said Cothran. "If there was any doubt that the gambling bill was already dead, his comments today should have settled it."
###
PRESS RELEASE: Governor "bluffing," gambling bill is dead
For Immediate Release
January 31, 2012
LEXINGTON, KY--"If the Governor thinks he has the votes he needs, he ought to tell us who they are," said Martin Cothran, spokesman for The Family Foundation, after Gov. Steve Beshear's claimed Monday that he had 23 Senate votes to pass a constitutional amendment to allow casino gambling. "The Governor says he sees 23 votes. We think it's a mirage. I've had legislators who are in favor of this bill tell me they don't think it has the votes.
"The Governor is bluffing," said Cothran.
"The clock has run out on the gambling bill," he said. "As far as we can tell, this thing is dead. The Governor has waited too long to introduce it and we don't see how he can resuscitate it at this point."
"Support for this bill has been slipping away for several weeks. If he introduces it now, it will be the first time a new model has been unveiled just as the wheels were falling off."
January 31, 2012
LEXINGTON, KY--"If the Governor thinks he has the votes he needs, he ought to tell us who they are," said Martin Cothran, spokesman for The Family Foundation, after Gov. Steve Beshear's claimed Monday that he had 23 Senate votes to pass a constitutional amendment to allow casino gambling. "The Governor says he sees 23 votes. We think it's a mirage. I've had legislators who are in favor of this bill tell me they don't think it has the votes.
"The Governor is bluffing," said Cothran.
"The clock has run out on the gambling bill," he said. "As far as we can tell, this thing is dead. The Governor has waited too long to introduce it and we don't see how he can resuscitate it at this point."
"Support for this bill has been slipping away for several weeks. If he introduces it now, it will be the first time a new model has been unveiled just as the wheels were falling off."
###
PRESS RELEASE: Family Foundation files open records requests with Governor's office, State Police
For Immediate Release
January 31, 2012
"We think there should be full disclosure about the individuals and the wealthy corporations who may have been involved in the attempt to rewrite Kentucky's Constitution," said Martin Cothran, spokesman for the group.
Cothran said he thought many Kentuckians would find it disturbing if it turned out that wealthy horse tracks and casino corporations were heavily involved in changing the Constitution in a way in which they stood to financially benefit. "People don't want their laws written in smoke-filled back rooms by millionaire businessmen whose names they don't even know," he said. "This process needs to be out in the open."
January 31, 2012
LEXINGTON, KY--The Family Foundation today filed open records requests with the office of the Governor and the Kentucky State Police asking about meetings and correspondence between the Governor's office and casino interests in the formulation of a constitutional amendment to expand gambling in the state.
Cothran said he thought many Kentuckians would find it disturbing if it turned out that wealthy horse tracks and casino corporations were heavily involved in changing the Constitution in a way in which they stood to financially benefit. "People don't want their laws written in smoke-filled back rooms by millionaire businessmen whose names they don't even know," he said. "This process needs to be out in the open."
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Monday, January 30, 2012
Group calls for Governor to release names of those involved in "secret meetings on gambling legislation"
For Immediate Release
January 30, 2012
LEXINGTON, KY--The Family Foundation today asked for Gov. Steve Beshear to release the names of the people involved in negotiations on the constitutional amendment to legalize gambling. "We think the Governor needs to tell Kentuckians who has been involved in the secret back room meetings to rewrite Kentucky's Constitution," said Martin Cothran, spokesman for the group.
"We think the public needs to be reassured that there were not wealthy casino interests involved in writing themselves into our state's Constitution," he said. "We need to keep corruption and cronyism out of this process."
Cothran said he thought that if horse tracks were involved in writing a bill in which they had a financial interest, it could doom the bill altogether. "This legislation is already in trouble," said Cothran. "If we were to find the fingerprints of some wealthy casino corporation like Churchill Downs on this legislation, it could drive a steak through the heart of this bill."
"We think the public needs to be reassured that there were not wealthy casino interests involved in writing themselves into our state's Constitution," he said. "We need to keep corruption and cronyism out of this process."
Cothran said he thought that if horse tracks were involved in writing a bill in which they had a financial interest, it could doom the bill altogether. "This legislation is already in trouble," said Cothran. "If we were to find the fingerprints of some wealthy casino corporation like Churchill Downs on this legislation, it could drive a steak through the heart of this bill."
###
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
"Gambling bill may already be dead," says anti-slots group
For Immediate Release
January 25, 2012
LEXINGTON, KY—A spokesman for the Family Foundation today predicted that if the Governor did not release his expanded gambling proposal by the end of the week, the issue would effectively be dead this session. "By the time the Governor and his friends in the gambling industry finish divvying up all the millions of dollars they think they're going to pocket through this legislation and come out of their smoke-filled room over in the Capitol building, this whole thing will be over," said Martin Cothran, spokesman for the group. "In fact, the gambling bill may already be dead."January 25, 2012
"Support for the gambling legislation is collapsing faster than a ten dollar tent in a hurricane."
"They didn't have the votes to begin with, and now what little support they have is deteriorating by the day," Cothran said. He said there was a widespread impression among lawmakers that the expanded gambling effort has been plagued by confusion and dissension among expanded gambling supporters. "I think a lot of people are just fed up with the infighting and lack of action and want to move on to other things."
"A lot of legislators, even those who would otherwise support it, are already moving on," he said. "Of course we oppose this bill, but if we were supporters, we would be wondering who was in charge here and what happened. Why was an initiative that seemed like a sure thing when the session started all but fallen apart? This should have been introduced three weeks ago. We're trying to imagine what it's going to look like when a page from the Governor's office comes running down the Senate aisle with a bill draft in his hand just as the President of the Senate is gaveling the 2012 session to a close. They have only themselves to blame."
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Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Advocacy group calls expanded gambling effort "badly handled"
LEXINGTON, KY—All seems quiet on the gambling front, a phenomenon that has one group wondering how the effort to bring casino-style gambling to the state seems to have stalled, and possibly died altogether. "At first we were worried about an all-out assault from the gambling industry, but now we're wondering if a bill is ever going to materialize," said Martin Cothran, spokesman for The Family Foundation.
"This started out looking like it was going to be The Empire Strikes Back, but now it seems more like Waiting for Godot."
Cothran said this was "one of the most badly handled legislative initiatives we have ever seen." He said his group is thankful for the Governor's mishandling of the effort, but he is still surprised nothing has happened given all the money the gambling industry has already spent trying to throw its weight around.
"By the time this bill gets introduced, it will be past its expiration date. We are now into the fourth week of the legislative session. If this bill had been introduced two weeks ago, it may have had a chance. But we think their window of opportunity is gone." He said he thinks the session has already "passed this issue by."
"Gov. Beshear and his friends in the gambling industry have had a whole year to try to put something together for legislators to look at. But here we are, into the fourth week of the General Assembly, and they can't even decide what they want. They're essentially jerking lawmakers around. We think the patience of most legislators has run out."
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Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Pastor prays against gambling before Governor's speech to advocate it
Rev. Herschel York, a Frankfort, KY pastor and the former head of the Kentucky Baptist Convention gave the prayer tonight before the Governor's budget speech. He prayed for help for Kentuckians to "to foster salaries, not slot machines, to build cars, enable jobs, not license casinos." That was just before the Governor argued for fostering slot machines and licensing casinos.
Oh, and State Sen. Kathy Stein (D-Lexington) didn't like it. As opposed, of course to all the prayers given before sessions of the General Assembly that she does like.
Oh, and State Sen. Kathy Stein (D-Lexington) didn't like it. As opposed, of course to all the prayers given before sessions of the General Assembly that she does like.
Anti-slots group calls governor's gambling plan a "get rich quick" scheme
For Immediate Release
January 17, 2012
LEXINGTON, KY--The Family Foundation tonight called Gov. Steve Beshear's call to pass gambling in order to solve the state's budget problems a "get rich quick" scheme. The comments came in response to remarks in the Governor's budget address. Martin Cothran, spokesman for the group, asked why it was, in light of the sorry state of the Commonwealth's finances, that Gov. Steve Beshear was spending valuable political capital trying to bring gambling to the state when he should be spending it on trying to fix the state's broken tax system.
"The Governor is acting like some guy who thinks that by spending the family milk money on Lottery tickets, he's going to solve his financial problems," said Cothran. "The Governor needs to drop his get rich quick scheme and work on real solutions to our problems."
Responding to the Governor's appeal tonight to pass gambling legislation, Cothran said, "Instead of rolling up his sleeves and doing the hard work of rethinking our tax system, he wants to roll the dice on an unreliable source of revenue. This is just not responsible fiscal leadership."
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