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The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) came out swinging Tuesday, expressing frustration with noted Internet gambling attorney I. Nelson Rose. The attorney has, in recent interviews, attacked Texas Republican Joe Barton, author of a bill to legalize online poker in the US.
The PPA accuses Rose of inserting his personal politics into the fight to legalize Web poker.
From the PPA:
I. Nelson Rose, a law professor with expertise on gaming law, has chosen to attack online poker supporter Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX). These attacks were made on CalvinAyre.com on October 21 st (listen here), on OnTilt Radio on December 5th, and in a recent column in Poker Player Magazine (here). The attacks center not on issues of the legislation itself, or even of poker-related issues. Rather, they focus on Rep. Barton’s politics and on Rose’s apparent disagreement with them. This is unfortunate and, in the opinion of the Poker Players Alliance, very misguided.
A key component of PPA’s strategy on Capitol Hill has been to garner support from both sides of the aisle. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act passed the House in2006 (as HR 4411, a freestanding bill at the time) by a margin of 317-93. As majorities of House Democrats and Republicans alike were in favor of this bill, it has always been clear that ultimate victory will require bipartisan support. Additionally, as many lawmakers from that era are still in Congress, it is equally clear that a win will require past “nays” to become “yays”. The poker community celebrates when this occurs.
It is disappointing that Rose has apparently chosen to insert his personal politics into our fight. Rep. Barton believes in our right to play. He was especially well-spoken and passionate in defense of our game at the hearing on online poker held by the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade on October 25th. He is a great champion for the cause and has earned the support of the poker community.
It is the opinion of the Poker Players Alliance that Professor Rose should keep his political attacks on Rep. Barton separate from activities where he is claiming to speak for the poker community.
Rose, who is a distinguished senior professor at the Whittier Law School in Costa Mesa, California, has made the following quotes:
“Joe Barton does not believe in science. He doesn’t even believe in facts. He is a typical Tea Party Republican Congressman from Texas: Barton is proud of what he calls his “100 percent” approval rating from the Christian Coalition (actually, it is 91 percent). He’s anti-gambling.”
“Barton comes off in person as a not very smart, good ol’ boy. He is best known for apologizing to BP for President Obama’s demand that the oil company pay for its disastrous Gulf oil spill. He called global warming science “absolute nonsense;” declared carbon-dioxide harmless, “It’s in your Coca- Cola;” believes wind turbines may “slow down the wind” and raise temperatures; and bragged that he puzzled Secretary of Energy and Nobel Prize winner Steven Chu, by asking him why Alaska has oil.”
“Barton is not stupid, at least in the conventional sense of the word. He would understand plate techtonics, how Alaska drifted north over millions of years, if he did not believe the Earth was only 6,000 years old.”
- Ace King, Gambling911.com
