Fanatical Online Gambling Opponent Corners New Attorney General
At hearings designed to ensure that Eric Holder is qualified and competent to assume the office of US Attorney General, a long-time foe of online gambling used the opportunity to politicize the discussion. Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona asked Holder leading questions to make it appear that he was for continuing the current policy of banning online casinos.
But, by the framing of the questions, Holder was left no choice other than to affirm. He did this by simply answering yes, and allowing the subject to move on to the next topic. Kyl had inquired whether Holder would act to enforce the laws against Internet gambling, knowing that a refusal would constitute an admission of intent to not perform the AG duties assigned him.
Kyl also pushed for Holder to state he would enforce the midnight rules effective yesterday concerning the UIGEA and payment transactions to online gambling sites, and of course Holder answered as shortly as possible that he would.
None of this can be taken to mean that Holder's personal views support online casino prosecutions or the enforcement of the UIGEA. All that he acknowledged was that, as Attorney General, he would do his duty to enforce the laws passed by the legislative branch, something the Bush administration could have used a refresher course on.
Kyl is a noted foe of all gambling, and has been a vocal leader in the ever-decreasing minority clamoring against online gambling. By seeking to tie Holder to policies enacted by the previous administration, Kyl looks to make changing the Internet gambling laws more difficult.
Yet, true changes will come either through legislative action, as Barney Frank is expected to unite the Democrat-dominated Congress to reverse the UIGEA, or through judicial review, as iMEGA'S lawsuit against the UIGEA may force the courts to declare the act void for vagueness.
Despite much panic in the online casino world, Holder's testimony should not be seen as a warning sign; rather, his brevity and unwillingness to expound upon the subject could indicate a desire to not be led into an exposure before Kyl of Holder's personal views.
