Eliot Spitzer Fails to Report Casino Lobbyist Campaign Donation

Eliot Spitzer, Democratic candidate for Governor of New York, is accused of violating NY state campaign lobbying rules by underpaying for airline flights on a private jet belonging to a top mogul in the casino gambling industry.

Last May, Spitzer and a campaign staffer went on a private jet owned by the casino developer, Richard Fields, to shuttle between fund-raisers in Phoenix, Tucson, Ariz., and Cincinnati. The campaign reimbursed Mr. Fields a total of $4,300 for three flights.

In a statement, Republicans said this, "Mr. Spitzer has basically accepted and not reported a donation of as much as $38,000 from somebody who is currently lobbying to allow an out-of-state Indian tribe to build more casinos in New York. This is the perfect example of how Eliot Spitzer holds others to higher standards than he holds himself."

Republicans are saying that Mr. Spitzer underreported the cost of the flights by tens of thousands of dollars and is asking the state lobbying commission to investigate the matter. The total amount that Spitzer is accused of underpaying $37,678.

In New York, rules governing how much lobbyists should charge public officials follows the same guidelines governing federal lawmakers. You are allowed to reimburse lobbyists for chartered flights at the cheapest available first-class commercial rates. If a similar 1st class flight is not available, then the charge-back rate is the price for a similar flight on a chartered jet.

August 25, 2006
Posted By Terry Goodwin
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com    Previous Page | Internet Gambling | Top Online Casinos | Submit News!