Fans of online poker and those who have been following the consequence of the recent passing of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act will recognize Jim Leach as one of the architects of the bill.
Now, thanks to the voters of Iowa, Leach will no longer have a voice in the House of Representatives, a voice he often used to rail against online gambling. Leach was defeated in last night's election in a close race with Democrat Dave Loebsack, 53 percent to 44 percent. An independent candidate won 3 percent of the vote.
The other main proponents of the UIGE Act up for reelection, Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Senator John Kyl (R-Ariz.), both won their races. Goodlatte won handily because he faced two independent candidates. Kyl's race was a little closer, but he still kept his seat by more than 100,000 votes.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), who worked hard to get the UIGE Act attached to a must-pass bill to increase port security in September, choose not to run for reelection. He is considering a run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008.
Frist first thrust himself into the front lines of the UIGE Act battle when he visited Iowa for a Leach-sponsored "public hearing" on the UIGE Act that featured a panel of bill supporters. Click here to read about the hearing.
He then was the driving force to have the UIGE Act attached as a rider on the Safe Accountability for Every Port Act of 2006, which passed nearly unanimously.
Leach had this to say after the UIGE Act was passed:
"It is extraordinary how many American families have been touched by large losses from Internet gambling," Leach said. "As a professor of business at the University of Illinois has noted, the Internet is 'crack cocaine' for gamblers. 'There are no needle marks,' he says. 'There is no alcohol on the breath. You just click the mouse and lose your house.'"
He, as well as the other three men, also claimed that online gambling weakens national securty by providing terrorists an outlet to launder money.
Leach's defeat means that new people will fill seats on the committees of Financial Services and International Relations. He served the House since he first was elected in 1976.
To visit CardPlayer.com's archive of legislative stories, click here.
POSTED ON: Nov 24, 2006
Hello Fellow Card Player, I am working to try to assist in getting the legislation changed with an exemption for Poker. I am in contact with Michael Bolcerek and the fine group he has assembled at the home office. He is working very hard for this. The Web Site is excellent--one of the finest I have seen. However, the sample letter to help the members write their Congresspersons is not a good letter, and needs to be amended. It is caustic, and unnecessarily so. I am happy to discuss this with you. Also,the letter,and the PR firm missed TWO POWERFUL ARGUMENTS--VITAL FOR OUR SUCCESS: ONE--when you have a cross section of any 70 million people, most will be fine persons. It is easy to see, statistically, that at least 1 out of 70 figure to be "borderline". That translates to ONE MILLION PEOPLE. When you take away a hobby suddenly, a lot of idle time is SUDDENLY CREATED--and those 1.4 % are a risk to replace all that time in negative activity. That figure is probably low.Bush went to sleep on this point when he signed without thinking. TWO--Out of the 70 million affected, MANY are handicapped people--and many use wheel chairs. For them, traveling to casinos or anywhere is difficult. With Online Poker, they had a wonderfully safe alternative--the comfort and safety of their own homes. No Congressperson can ignore the Handicapped--nor should they. This is a powerful boost to our cause. The "Americans With Disabilities Act" is a WONDERFUL PROTECTION, and those involved with it are a powerful force of immense potential for us. This was also COMPLETELY OVERLOOKED by the letter, and the PR firm that wrote it. It is important to contact the PPA and get the letter amended--With the addition of these powerful boosts to our cause. I welcome you to E Mail me, and I will discuss this further. Be sure to put "PPA" in the subject line. Sincerely, Jeff JEFF SINGER E MAIL js121840@yahoo.com
POSTED ON: Nov 24, 2006
Hello Fellow Card Player, I am working to try to assist in getting the legislation changed with an exemption for Poker. I am in contact with Michael Bolcerek and the fine group he has assembled at the home office. He is working very hard for this. The Web Site is excellent--one of the finest I have seen. However, the sample letter to help the members write their Congresspersons is not a good letter, and needs to be amended. It is caustic, and unnecessarily so. I am happy to discuss this with you. Also,the letter,and the PR firm missed TWO POWERFUL ARGUMENTS--VITAL FOR OUR SUCCESS: ONE--when you have a cross section of any 70 million people, most will be fine persons. It is easy to see, statistically, that at least 1 out of 70 figure to be "borderline". That translates to ONE MILLION PEOPLE. When you take away a hobby suddenly, a lot of idle time is SUDDENLY CREATED--and those 1.4 % are a risk to replace all that time in negative activity. That figure is probably low.Bush went to sleep on this point when he signed without thinking. TWO--Out of the 70 million affected, MANY are handicapped people--and many use wheel chairs. For them, traveling to casinos or anywhere is difficult. With Online Poker, they had a wonderfully safe alternative--the comfort and safety of their own homes. No Congressperson can ignore the Handicapped--nor should they. This is a powerful boost to our cause. The "Americans With Disabilities Act" is a WONDERFUL PROTECTION, and those involved with it are a powerful force of immense potential for us. This was also COMPLETELY OVERLOOKED by the letter, and the PR firm that wrote it. It is important to contact the PPA and get the letter amended--With the addition of these powerful boosts to our cause. I welcome you to E Mail me, and I will discuss this further. Be sure to put "PPA" in the subject line. Sincerely, Jeff JEFF SINGER E MAIL js121840@yahoo.com
POSTED ON: Nov 13, 2006
I hear quit a bit about this being a democrat republican issue when it isn't. Senator elect, Sherrod Brown -D, Ohio spoke ill of online poker also and voted for the bill. Being the former congressman from my area, he never would support gaming in Ohio. We're one of the last anti-gaming states and it sucks. The billions that poor out of our state to neighboring states is absurb. Legalize and tax it. Get it over with. Its not a Republican or Democrat thing. Its a ignorance thing.
POSTED ON: Nov 12, 2006
yeah sent letters and make calls to our congressman and senators for our US casinos to open online sites not these asshole sites outside our borders running now that don,t give anything back to our economy at all just line the pocket,s of a few poker players who promote and own a piece of these online poker sites create a poker alliance for their own benefit alone and people who own these sites evade taxes that could help our country lets have online poker but lets keep it here not for a greedy few thats all i am saying keep every body happy
POSTED ON: Nov 11, 2006
Damage already done. So it's hardly a consolation.
POSTED ON: Nov 09, 2006
Poker Players! Keep contacting the Senators and Congressmen now! Keep their mailboxes full and phone lines busy with your support of online poker. Let these new representatives know where we all stand about the "back door methods" used to pass the Unlawful Internet Gambling Act. All talk and no action won't help this cause.
POSTED ON: Nov 09, 2006
how do these guys live with themselves?
POSTED ON: Nov 08, 2006
I beleive I would vote for satan himself before Frist.