Watchdog Group: Billionaire Made Illegal Contribution To GOP Guv
Via our good friends over at Crooks & Liars, we learn that pasty casino mogul Sheldon Adelson has some explaining to do, and his lawyer has already gone into damage control mode:
A liberal political group yesterday accused a billionaire casino investor of making an illegal campaign contribution to [PA] Gov. [Tom] Corbett.
Keystone Progress filed a complaint with the state Gaming Control Board against Sheldon Adelson, a Republican mega-donor and CEO of the Las Vegas Sands Corp.
The group claims that an Adelson contribution of nearly $1 million ended up in Corbett’s campaign account, in violation of the state gaming law’s prohibition of casino owners giving political contributions in Pennsylvania.
“Mr. Adelson’s contribution was massive, and strikes at the heart of why the political-influence restrictions exist,” Nathan Sooy, a Keystone Progress adviser, wrote in the complaint. “I urge the board to act promptly.
A Gaming Control Board spokesman declined to comment about Sooy’s complaint.
Adelson gave the Republican Governors Association $1 million Dec. 31. The RGA, chaired by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, then moved $987,844 of Adelson’s money into its state political-action committee, called “RGA Pennsylvania 2014 PAC.”
That PAC was set up to help Corbett win re-election.
Ron Reese, a spokesman for the Las Vegas Sands Corp., told the Daily News last week that the RGA was advised that Adelson’s contribution could not be used in Pennsylvania. He called the state contribution an RGA mistake.
Reese declined to comment yesterday about the Keystone Progress complaint.
The RGA quickly transferred the money out of its Pennsylvania political-action committee when questions were raised last week.
mea_mark June 20th, 2014 at 9:59 am
Probably did it as a tax write off too at the end of the year like that. I wonder if that doesn’t open the door for an IRS audit? I bet the IRS would find other questionable donations and accounting practices if there was an audit.
tazpa June 20th, 2014 at 10:17 am
Corbett’s going down anyway. He is HATED here in PA.
OldLefty June 20th, 2014 at 11:04 am
Agreed.
Where in PA?
(I’m from Pittsburgh).
Obewon June 20th, 2014 at 11:40 am
Another RGA Chairman Guber Chris Christie Scandal!
On Nov 21, 2013 New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ) was elected chairman of the Republican Governor’s Association. -Adelson illegally gave the Republican Governors Association $1 million Dec. 31, 2013! http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/christie-elected-chairman-of-republican-governor-s-association 11/21/13 The Republican Governors Association raised $23.5 million through the first half of 2013 and enters the 2014 election cycle with more than $45 million cash on hand. http://www.rga.org/homepage/gov-chris-christie-elected-rga-chairman/
Robert Merrill Taylor June 20th, 2014 at 6:25 pm
Remember, Adelson launders Chinese Communist money to the Republican Party through his casino in Macau,