Judge In Ohio Gives Casino Gambling Proponents A Wake Up Call

The Ohio Jobs and Growth Committee is attempting to gather signatures for a petition that would help bring four new casinos to Ohio. If the signatures are properly attained, the issue would make it to the ballot in November.

On Thursday, Democratic Chairman David Betras filed a suit alleging that the group is obtaining the signatures by lying to people in Ohio. He claims they were misrepresenting the facts. The group has not denied that one of the petitions was worded incorrectly.

Common Pleas Court Judge James Evans agreed with the Democratic chairman, and has ordered the group to stop misrepresenting the facts. He did not, however, stop the group from continuing their efforts to secure the signatures.

"It's relatively obvious to anyone looking at this that it was a politically motivated lawsuit," said Bob Tenenbaum, spokesman for the Ohio Jobs and Growth Committee, "That said, we are going to reinforce the message that anyone working for us must be truthful with people signing our petition."

This is not the first time that the casino gambling issue has come up in Ohio. In the last election, an initiative was defeated by the voters, but more people seem to be on board with casino expansion this time around.

"The increase in support has caused some who oppose the casino to enter a state of panic," said observer Mark Fuller, "this lawsuit was a result of that panic, and now that the drive for a casino can continue, I'm sure the opposition will try a different form of attack."

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