
US Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) is walking away from politics and departing Congress when his term expires in 2018. The House Oversight Committee chairman said he’s following the path he’s long championed: that public service should be for a limited time and not become a lifetime career in an announcement posted to Facebook.
US Rep. Jason Chaffetz has taken in enough of Congress, and that is simply fine with online gambling advocates.
Chaffetz’ departure is good news for on line gambling. The Utahan has become a sponsor that is leading of gaming legislation, mainly his authoring and introducing of RAWA, the Restoration of America’s Wire Act.
Though RAWA gained traction that is little Congress (despite billionaire Sheldon Adelson’s attempted persuasion through campaign bucks), Chaffetz saying he’s making town is really a welcomed development to many online gamblers and casino operators that are invested in internet gaming.
The Republican legislator has swiftly become a rising star in the GOP in recent years, as he’s overseen the Congressional investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of an exclusive email server during her time as United States Secretary of State. Chaffetz grilled the former First Lady and Democratic presidential candidate, and the scrutiny provided plenty of headlines and talking points for Republicans and Donald Trump during the election that is recent.
Not About Winning
Chaffetz has made it clear that his decision has nothing regarding any concern about their potential for reelection.
‘ For those of you that would speculate otherwise, let me be clear that i’ve no ulterior motives. I am confident I would personally continue steadily to be re-elected by large margins. I have the full support of Speaker Ryan . . . I’ve made a personal decision,’ Chaffetz noted.
The congressman stated he wouldn’t rule out a political run in the long term, prompting some to believe he might have his eyes set regarding the Utah governorship down the road. Sitting Republican Governor Gary Herbert’s term shall be up in 2020.
Sessions vs. States’ Rights
America is facing an abundance of critical issues domestically and around the world. That’s why gambling that is online on the federal level does not appear likely to be always a congressional target anytime quickly.
But, concerns remain for Nevada, Delaware, and New Jersey, the three states with legalized on line gambling, also as additional states which are mulling internet legislation that is betting. The nationwide Governors Association recently issued a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions opining that the legalization of iGaming ought to be kept up to individual states.
During Sessions’ Senate confirmation hearing, he declared he was ‘shocked’ whenever the Department of Justice issued an opinion last year regarding the longstanding Wire Act that essentially opened up internet gambling. RAWA seeks to reverse the 2011 DOJ ruling.
It might seem unlikely that the Trump presidency would help anti-gambling legislation. But Adelson, the Las Vegas Sands tycoon whom claims become on a moral crusade to block online gaming, was Trump’s largest donor, having provided many millions to his presidential efforts.
Trump famously pledged to ‘drain the swamp’ and rid Washington of politicians providing to powerful lobbyists and donors. The issues online that is surrounding gambling test that campaign promise.
Brand New England Patriots Visit White House, Trump Happy to See Pals Robert Kraft, Bill Belichick
The New England Patriots went along to Washington this week to commemorate their Super Bowl LI title. President Donald Trump, as is customary, invited the NFL champs to the White House following the Pats overcame seemingly insurmountable odds in coming back from 25 down seriously to win the game that is big February.
President Trump welcomed the New England Patriots towards the White House this to celebrate their Super Bowl win week. (Image: John Tlumacki/Getty Images)
Aided by the Atlanta Falcons up 28-3 in the quarter that is third live in-game betting gave the Patriots little chance in hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Las Vegas sportsbooks had been taking wagers in the Patriots at 16-1 and moneyline at +1600 during the half that is second.
Trump said at yesterday’s ceremony, ‘ I do believe I viewed the odds and you were given by them less than one half of one % of winning the game.’
After scoring 31 unanswered, the record-setting comeback punished sportsbooks and capped off a disappointing NFL season for oddsmakers. But for superstar quarterback Tom Brady and head mentor Bill Belichick, the success had been possibly their sweetest yet.
On the steps of the South Lawn, Belichick declared, ‘we have had the privilege that is great be right here many times, but this one, the way we had been addressed therefore the opportunities to be in the Oval workplace, to satisfy with the president, to see the inside of the White House, has just been fabulous.’
Patriots Support Trump
The team’s leadership certainly endorses #45 while numerous Patriots players opted to skip the White House ceremony, with some publicly citing Trump’s administration as their reason.
Billionaire owner Robert Kraft, who made his fortune in paper and packaging, typically avoids the arena that is political. But this 12 months, the Kraft Group CEO donated $1 million to Trump’s inaugural committee.
Kraft said during the White home, ‘Overcoming long chances through time and effort, perseverance, and most importantly, psychological toughness, is the foundation of precisely what is great about any of it country.’
He stated of Trump, ‘A very good friend of mine for over 25 years, a man who’s mentally tough and hardworking as anyone I understand, launched a campaign for the presidency against 16 career politicians, facing odds almost so long as we faced into the fourth quarter.’
Belichick normally a friend of Trump’s, and the coach even composed the then-candidate a letter of encouragement during the election that is presidential.
Brady supported Trump in 2016 too, and the elected president has said the quarterback and Super Bowl LI MPV has told him he voted in his favor.
Hernandez Commits Suicide
The sun’s rays was shining on the South Lawn, but a dark shadow hovered over the Patriots organization on Wednesday after news broke that former play Aaron Hernandez took his own life in prison.
Hernandez invested three years with the Patriots and caught 18 touchdown passes from Brady. However in August of 2013, he had been convicted of murdering his former buddy Odin Lloyd.
Hernandez had been life that is serving prison without the chance of parole when he was discovered hanging in their cellular on Wednesday early morning.
‘Vegas Dave’ Arrested on Misdemeanor Battery Charge After Not Guilty Plea in Federal Case
Life simply got a much more complicated for ‘Vegas’ Dave Oancea, the celebrated professional sports bettor, who ended up being indicted week that is last a federal grand jury, accused of misuse of Social Security figures.
‘Vegas’ Dave Oancea has hired a solid legal group including David Chesnoff who helped Paul Phua beat an illegall recreations betting rap in 2015. (Image: Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Oancea was arraigned on Wednesday to pleaded simple to charges that he provided gambling enterprises with Social Security numbers that either belonged to other folks, or were simply made up. The prosecution alleges he carried out the ruse in order to avoid declaring any winnings to your taxman.
But simply moments after he stood down through the dock, he had been arrested by Metro Police for a warrant from the domestic battery case from July. He had been released hrs later.
‘Petty’ Move, says Lawyer
Oancea has made a title for himself as a successful handicapper and gambler. Their bet on the Kansas City Royals to win the 2015 World Series at 30-1 brought him an amount that is certain of in gambling circles, as well as $2.5 million in winnings.
Because of the Kansas City Royals, he also has the methods to construct a solid team that is legal which had been kept unimpressed by its customer’s unexpected arrest Wednesday.
‘Apparently one of the IRS agents decided that they’d call Metro to have him taken on the misdemeanor, although the federal judge said we had 30 days to clear it up,’ defense attorney Tom Pitaro stated, adding that his client would not know the warrant was indeed issued.
‘I been carrying this out 40 years, and I do not think i have ever seen pettiness that is such this sort of move,’ he added.
Chesnoff in the Case
Oancea may take a super taut spot but there’s one man you want with you in hot water in Vegas, and that man is attorney David Chesnoff, who is also representing Vegas Dave if you ever find yourself.
Chesnoff represented the Malaysian high stakes poker player and businessman Paul Phua, whom was arrested in the summer time of 2014 and accused of being the mastermind of a multi-million-dollar illegal World Cup gambling ring.
Those arrested with Phua during an FBI sting at Caesars Palace pleaded responsible and and received fines that are six-figure 5 years’ probation, during which time they truly are prohibited from going into the united states of america.
But Phua pleaded not bad, along with justification: he had employed Chesnoff. Having identified some suspicious FBI surveillance practices in case, which he said amounted to an illegal search, Chesnoff got each and every piece of FBI proof dumped of court, eviscerating the prosecution’s case. Phua walked, or rather he travelled home, on their private jet.
The judge in the Oancea case has set the test date for June 20, if the defendant will face nine counts of abuse of the Social Security number, plus 10 counts of causing a domestic institution to file false reports, and could be looking at five years for each count. Vegas Dave will be preying Chesnoff can work their magic.
Sheldon Adelson’s $5 Million Trump Donation Provokes Worries of Federal On The Web Gambling Ban
Is US AG Jeff Sessions planning to ban online gambling at a level that is federal?
Rumors, first reported by Gambling Compliance, that Sessions is about to make good on his vow to ‘revisit’ the DOJ’s opinion on online gambling, have been swirling since Monday.
Is talk of Jeff Session’s motives to revisit the 2011 Wire Act interpretation cause for alarm or just rumor? (Image: CNBC)
The revelation on in a Federal Election Commission filing that online gambling-hater Sheldon Adelson had contributed $5 million to Trump’s inauguration did little to quell anyone’s anxieties tuesday. This might be along with the $11.2 million that Adelson reportedly provided Trump and Trump-affiliated PACs during the election.
The Washington Post recently noted that Adelson donated $20 million up to a GOP super PAC called the Senate Leadership Fund September that is last just prior to the Restoration of America’s Wire Act ended up being reintroduced in the Senate.
Sessions ‘Shocked’ by 2011 Opinion
Gambling Compliance reported sources on Capitol Hill saying that Sessions could act on reversing the DOJ’s 2011 opinion on online gambling within days, although other sources have actually denied this is the case.
The opinion in question was that the Wire Act prohibited sports that are internet alone and not casino video gaming or poker, and it paved the method for specific states to legalize and manage these games within their borders.
Sessions declared himself to have been ‘shocked’ by the opinion as he was quizzed about this during his AG confirmation.
‘Apparently, there is some reason or argument which can be made to guide the Department of Justice’s [2011] position, but i did so oppose it whenever it happened and it seemed to me personally to be unusual…’ he said.
Asked on it based on careful study whether he would take another look at the opinion he said, ‘I would revisit it and I will make a decision. I haven’t gone that far to offer you an opinion today.’
Ban Is Un-Trumpist
Still, a ban that is federal seem to be an odd one for the Trump administration which describes itself as pro-business and against regulations that stifle business.
In a 2011 interview with Forbes, Trump declared, ‘[Online gambling] has to happen because many other countries are doing it and, like usual, the United States is just lacking out.’
Meanwhile, the Restoration of America’s Wire Act is an unpopular piece of legislation because of its neglect of states legal rights, and the National Governors Association wrote to Sessions last month to gently remind him of this.
‘we encourage you to take note of the current regulatory mechanisms put in place by the states to ensure that consumers and children are protected, and that licensees comply with strict standards of conduct,’ wrote the NGA as you review this issue.
‘States are best equipped to manage and enforce gaming that is online. A ban drives this activity offshore to jurisdictions that are unregulated out
