Culver Claims Campaign Donations Not Related To Gambling Licenses

Iowa Governor Chet Culver has become the latest politician to be involved in a gambling controversy in the US. Culver is the subject of an investigation by a special investigator into donations that Culver sought from groups with gambling interests.

Culver has been a proponent of expanded gambling in the state of Iowa, and he claims his support comes from voters who have been in favor of additional gambling outlets. Critics, however, have pointed to campaign donations with the belief that the governor may have been promising licenses to those who donated. Culver denies any wrongdoing.

Partisan politics have played a part in the investigation. Former Governor Terry Branstad has stated that the public has the right to know whether or not any illegal activity took place. The donations themselves shed a light on the situation.

One group who was seeking to bring a casino to Lyon County, Iowa, rejected the idea of contributing to Culver's campaign. Their reason was simple, they did not want to make it look as though they were buying the rights to the casino. The Lyon County group received their gaming license.

The other group from Fort Dodge did donate $25,000 to Culver's campaign. The Fort Dodge group was turned away when it came time to issuing the license. The twist of fate backs Culver's claim that he had no say in who received the gaming licenses, either before, or after the campaign donations.

Dan Kehl was the Chief Executive of the Lyon County casino project, and although the group did not contribute to Culver's campaign, Kehl himself did. Kehl donated $25,000 to Culver's campaign in 2007 and 2008.

July 20, 2010
Posted By April Gardner
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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