
Lindsey Graham for President? The web gambling opponent has formed a committee which will gauge whether a 2016 GOP run that is presidential be viable.
Lindsey Graham, the Republican Senator for sc, who, along with Representative Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), is co-sponsor of Restoration of America’s Wire Act (RAWA), is weighing the possibilities for a 2016 run during the presidency.
Graham this week established a committee known as ‘Security Through Strength’ that will explore whether a bid for the GOP nomination that is presidential viable.
‘What we’m looking at is, is here a pathway forward on a lawn in Iowa and New Hampshire for a man like me? I don’t know until We look,’ said Graham.
Graham’s RAWA bill, if passed, would effectively ban all forms of online gambling at a level that is federal aside from horse racing betting and fantasy sports. No exemptions is created for the states that have legalized and regulated Internet gaming within their borders, making its passage seem like a long shot at best.
And Graham just isn’t the only opponent of online gambling with his eyes on the candidacy. Previous ny Governor George Pataki, co-chair of Sheldon Adelson’s Coalition to quit Internet Gambling, announced earlier this month that he’s ‘seriously considering’ a run.
Backed by Adelson
Both males may be emboldened by the possibility of backing and campaign efforts from Adelson, who has donated over $100 million to Republican causes over the years.
Last year, the LVS chairman and his spouse Miriam Ochsorn donated $15 million towards the pro-Gingrich political action committee ‘Winning Our Future,’ while Mitt Romney was the recipient (to no avail, of course) of Adelson’s support in 2012, to your tune of $30 million. Romney has said he will not look for a 2016 presidential campaign spot this go round.
Graham, meanwhile, had shown little interest in the on line gambling question until 2013, when Adelson and Ochsorn cut $15,600 in checks for his campaign for reelection to Congress. Graham can be known to have attended a party that is fundraising Adelson’s household.
Meanwhile, a written report from townhall.com suggests Adelson recently came across with a number of Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill to renew his efforts to have online gambling prohibited in the US. The briefing that is private members of your home Judiciary Committee, including Chaffetz, was described by sources as both a strategy meeting and an update.
RAWA on the Rise
As of this week’s confirmation hearing for Loretta Lynch, Graham quizzed the Attorney General candidate on her feelings toward on line gambling, and in particular the DoJ’s 2011 legal opinion on the Wire Act, which efficiently exposed the home for state-by-state regulation. Lynch nicely sidestepped issue.
Both Graham and Chaffetz have returned to this new session of Congress with increased political capital than they held year that is last. Graham is now a known member of the Republican majority and Chaffetz was recently made chairman of the Government Oversight and Reform Committee.
Graham is a foreign policy hawk whom counts Senator John McCain as you of their closest allies. Announcing their intention to run, he cited the fight against Islamic extremism as their top priority.
He joins a listing of more than 15 Republicans who are considering running for president, including a third bush dynasty possibility in former Florida governor, Jeb Bush. Meanwhile, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, under whose administration online gambling has been legalized into the Garden State, has also been linked with a push for the GOP candidacy.
Paul Phua has Sports Betting Conviction in Malaysia
Paul Phua ended up being arrested in Malaysia for his role in a soccer ring that is betting in 2004, states the nation’s press. Meanwhile, he awaits trial in the United States having been arrested at Caesars Palace in June. (image: cardplayer.com)
Paul Phua, the high-stakes poker player who is standing test in the US accused of masterminding a World Cup gambling operation from Caesars Palace, has a conviction in Malaysia for similar offense, it has emerged.
Malaysian media reported this week that Phua was arrested in 2004 for his involvement in a betting ring centered regarding the European Champion soccer tournament of this year.
In line with the Malaysiakini paper, Phua received a large fine and left the country for Vietnam soon a while later, allegedly to escape those who were owed money after the operation was busted.
He had been banned from entering Malaysia, where on the web gambling had been strictly prohibited during the soccer World Cup in 2008.
The Phua instance has gotten a complete lot of publicity in Malaysia, due mainly to the actions of country’s Residence Affairs Minister, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
In December Zahid wrote to Deputy Director of this FBI Mark Giuliano to refute allegations that Phua was a person in the 14K Triads, regardless of the FBI having been informed of his connections towards the notorious crime that is organized by Malaysian police in 2008.
Political Stink
Within the page, which was later submitted as a court document by Phua’s defense team, Zahid stated that Phua had, in the past, assisted the Government of Malaysia on ‘projects affecting our national security,’ and as such the government was ‘eager for him to return to Malaysia.’
However, the page ended up being deemed to be a breach that is serious of and the government asked that it is withdrawn from court public records.
Phua ended up being arrested with eight others, including their son Darren and fellow high-stakes player Richard Wong, in June after an FBI procedure on three of Caesars’ luxury villas unearthed what was described as ‘an illegal cable room,’ the hub of a multi-million-dollar internet Cup betting procedure.
Investigators switched off internet access to the rooms and posed as technical repairmen to be able to gain usage of the villas and gather evidence.
The protection team has asked that this evidence is struck from the record as they think it ended up being obtained illegally and without a search warrant, and so violates the defendants’ Fourth Amendment rights.
Macau Bribe Allegation
Five of Phua’s associates plead guilty and were sentenced to unsupervised probation and fines, while Paul and Darren Phua maintain their innocence.
Just weeks before these people were arrested in Las Vegas Phua was certainly one of 22 individuals arrested in Macau in exactly what authorities there called the biggest illegal recreations bust that is betting record.
Prosecutors in the usa believe that Phua bribed regional police in order to secure their release, permitting him to fly to Vegas to carry on operations due to the fact 2014 World Cup, the largest sports gambling occasion in history, gathered momentum.
The trial is delayed while the judge assesses whether evidence collected during the FBI’s covert surveillance operation is admissible in court.
Las Vegas Sands Corp Reports Record Revenue
The cat that got the cream: Sheldon Adelson’s LVS reports record revenues despite the lull that is financial Macau. (Image: telegraph.co.uk)
Las Las Vegas Sands Corp (LVS) reported accurate documentation year of net income this week.
Despite dropping earnings in Macau as the region faces an intense tightening of financial controls from mainland China; and despite a suspected Iranian cyber-attack in February that did untold financial damage to the business’s systems; and despite unsteady share rates in the second part of the year, Sheldon Adelson’s casino giant is rude health.
LVS reported that its net revenue increased by 6 percent on final 12 months to unprecedented most of $14.58 billion.
Comparison this with Caesars Entertainment, which has lost cash each year since 2009, while struggling to repay the interest on its industry-high $20 billion-plus debt, because it attempts to put its main operating unit it into Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Macau ‘Still Wonderful’
Unlike LVS, Caesars didn’t purchase Macau whenever the spot started itself up to operators that are foreign and this is where the profits are coming from, despite the softening of the region’s gaming market.
‘ The brand new Macau is a little different than the old Macau, but nevertheless a wonderful Macau,’ Robert Goldstein, Las Vegas Sands president and COO told CNBC. ‘We believe very much in this market.’
However, LVS’s Q4 revenues had been much lower, 12 months on year, due mainly to Macau poorer performance in the latter section of the year. LVS, which has four casinos in Macau, said the Sands Asia business reported a 16 per cent decline in net income to $2.12 billion, and the Venetian Macao saw net revenue tumble by 23 per cent to $880.3 million, but this had been offset by reduced operating expenses, the business said.
Turnover from Macau nevertheless dwarfs the revenue of LVS Vegas’ properties, however, which took a combined 362 million in Q4. Total operating expenses across all properties were down 14 % to $2.39 billion.
Prudent Management
‘The prudent management of our cash flow, including the capability to increase the return of money to investors while keeping a balance that is strong and ample liquidity to purchase future growth opportunities, remains a cornerstone of our strategy,’ said Adelson. ‘We remain focused on the consistent execution of our global growth strategy, which leverages the power of our unique convention-based Integrated Resort business design.’
This comes as Adelson seeks to redouble his efforts to stamp out online gaming in the usa. Sources say that Adelson recently met with Republican members of the home Judiciary Committee so as to discuss pressing the issue through during the new legislative session.
Adelson has vowed to spend ‘whatever it takes’ to rid the global globe of online gaming.