Tension Brewing Between Harry Reid and Dean Heller Over Online Poker Bill

Award-winning journalist Jon Ralston reports that he continues to hear murmurs that an online poker bill is “moving” but that tension may be brewing between Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, one of the bill’s co-sponsors, and Republican Senator Dean Heller, who is reportedly in charge of soliciting support from fellow Republicans. 



Said one Democratic aide when Ralston asked: "Nothing is imminent until Sen. (Dean) Heller tells us he has support from Republicans and so far that hasn't happened. Time is ticking and Republicans have not stepped forward. We can't move a bill if we don't have the votes."

Heller, he notes, is in the midst of a hard fought Senate contest.

Heller spokesman Stewart Bybee said: "The strategy that has been discussed is that it would be beneficial for the House of Representatives to first address the issue created by Department of Justice in regard to Internet gambling due to its interpretation of the Wire Act and then proceed with Senate action. Any change in this strategy jeopardizes the passage of legislation in both Chambers.

“If for some strategic reasoning Sen. Reid believes that legislation should originate in the Senate, then it should address the root of the issue that is plaguing the gaming industry in Nevada, namely the Wire Act. Sen. Heller remains committed to providing a path forward to regulated online poker and believes this is an issue that would be best addressed in the Senate after the House has acted on the core issue at hand.

“He is concerned by any actions that would deviate from this process and possibly jeopardize passage of this legislation. Sen. Heller, along with Senator Kyl, have met with more than half of the Republican conference to educate them on this matter. They have been working hard on this issue and, while receiving significant support from their colleagues, it is predicated upon having an open and transparent legislative process, in addition to reviewing updated legislative text.”

Ralston is being told that the lone holdout in Vegas for legalizing online poker, Sheldon Adelson, may eventually come around.  Adelson, of course, is one of the largest GOP donors and he has opposed Web poker on “moral grounds”. 

Last week, the GOP platform incorporated Internet gambling prohibition, with some suggestion that Adelson may have had a hand in writing that particular draft policy.   

- Gilbert Horowitz, Gambling911.com