Hunter Biden Reneges on Deal to Lobby for Online Casinos
Yesterday, Online Casino Advisory praised Joe Biden's son Hunter for choosing to represent PartyGaming owner Russ DeLeon in his efforts to lobby Congress to loosen laws against gambling online. Today, Hunter Biden and his law firm have withdrawn from the lobbying business, and OCA has withdrawn its praise.
Hunter Biden notified both the House and the Senate that he would no longer by a registered federal lobbyist in a written letter. The letter was supposedly dated August 25th, two days after Barack Obama named Joe Biden his choice to be his Vice-Presedential running mate, but was only revealed yesterday as the lobbying connection became a buzz.
But lobbying is not necessarily a bad thing. Until laws regarding the appealing to Congressional members are changed, one must match the efforts of opponents, and the religious right opposing the regulation of online casinos is a well-organized and determined lobbying group.
If Hunter Biden truly felt that lobbying was a violation of principle, wouldn't he have quit long ago? Did it take his dad's sudden emergence into the limelight to make him realize that lobbying concentrates the reins of power in the hands of special-interest groups?
Further, how ethical is it to lobby an organization of which one's father is a prominent member? Should groups that hire family members of Congressmen be able to get the special access that relationship carries?
If Hunter Biden had stood tall, saying he believed in the causes he represented, including the right of individuals to make their own choices regarding Internet gaming, he could be admired. Now, all he has done is throw suspicion on what wrong-doing may have occurred before his epiphany.
