Dems Dump on Lottery Deal
Democratic leaders in the Legislature are asking Atty. Gen. Kane to kill the lottery deal signed by Gov. Corbett to give lottery management to the Brits.
Dems Dump on Lottery Deal
John Baer, Daily News Political Columnist
By the end of the very day Gov. Corbett announced details and defended his decision to contract with the British firm Camelot Global Services to manage the state lottery, top legislative Democrats formally asked Atty. Gen. Kathleen Kane to kibosh the contract.
House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody and Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa sent a letter to Kane on Thursday claiming the contract violates state and federal law.
Kane has 30 days to review then approve or reject the contract.
In a letter to Kane, who took office Tuesday, the pair of Dems contend Corbett usurps the authority of the Legislature to expand gaming (part of Global's plan to increase lottery profits) which Dems contend is purely the purview of lawmakers under provisions of the 1971 lottery act and therefore "contrary to Pennsylvania law."
The letter also contends the contract violates federal law which states that "all significant business decisions" regarding state lotteries must be "conducted by a State acting under the authority of State law."
The Corbett administration has said it has legal authority to enter into the contract.
The two Dems also filed a friend-of-the-court brief in a pending lawsuit seeking to dump the deal brought by the state workers' union AFSCME Council 13, some lottery employees and some other Democratic lawmakers.
The Guv says the contract is needed to expand the lottery and increase profits for the future because the state continues to age.
Kane's response, whatever it is, whenever it comes, sets her up for an early label.
As the current darling of statewide Democrats (first woman, first Dem elected to the post of AG) she can be cast as a partisan foe of Republican Corbett if she rejects the contract or a disappointment to partisan Dems if she okays it.
Such is life in the political arena. Welcome, Ms. Kane, to the show.
Dems-the real party of no. No ideas. No alternatives.— Phillies2008WSChamps- Sure and the gop is ready and willing to fix things that are not broken, like the lottery and voting laws. The lottery was created by the legislature. The governor cannot just sell it because he wants to. Just as with Second Mile, it looks like Corbett is after campaign dough and who cares about the consequences. — mike l
- The state feeds off the degenerate gamblers. Privatize gambling and put the lottery back into the ghetto where you can play a number for a penny.
Ah, the good old days!— Sportyrider71 - Can anyone really trust a guy like Corbett. This is the same guy who investigated Sandusky and concluded "no worries." Should we trust the decisions of a guy who let Sandusky abuse children?— The Fundamentals of the Economy are Fine
- Ditto— truthfirst
- Kane needs to run against Corbett for Governor. ONE TERM TOM!— PhillyTerm
- What is with the republican mentality of no government??? How much revenue will actually leave the state and go to a foreign business?????— jdmccll66
- Good questions. This guy just wants to bust all the unions and turn Pennsylvanians into wage slaves. He won't be happy until the whole state is poor and ignorant. That would make them much easier to control. Just so long as his corporate overlords get their slice, who cares about the people?
- This is Ms. Kane's first dance (request).
There is an infinitely of ways that she can respond.
Not to be sexist but please, baby please...Let's do this: 2014!!!— Cuddles - Corbett has come up with a new angle to force his vision of privatization on the State. He wants to bypass the Republican controlled General Assembly in his despirate asttempt to gain recognition. Unfortunately for him, the Republicans in the General Assembly will not go along with him on his variouse schemes (PLCB Privatization, Lottery Privatization). At the same time, the Democrats are taking a different tact in stopping him by appealing to the new Attorney General to block the Lottery Contract.— BobSG
As usual the DemoCRAPS sue and the people get screwed! God forbid we ruffle up the feathers of the lowly 150 person union. Have any of you folks looked at their contract and the heinous number of pages that it contains? No just blame Corbett, forget the fact that the state is a provider of alcohol which is a substance abused. Forget that poor people are being prayed upon by the state via approved gambling.- Hey, doofus, it isn;t the unions, it is PA senior citizens. The state gets 100% of the lottery profits now, so why pay some of those to a British firm or any private firm. The "guaranteed $34 billion" is not much more than what the lottery will make on its own over the next 20 years. If this outfit is guaranteeing that much, then how much does it expect to make from the lottery? You don't "guarantee" that much without expecting much more than that coming your way. So let's keep all the money in PA. As usual, repugs can only think of money, but not where it goes. — mike l
- So the governor wants to outsource our lottery to the British? Are you frig-gin kidding me? He couldn't find a local firm to do this? This guy is the biggest disappointment I have ever seen. What a crony.— moved to Havertown
- Why does one term Tommy hate Pennsylvania businesses?— The Fundamentals of the Economy are Fine
John is the author of the book "On The Front Lines of Pennsylvania Politics: Twenty-Five Years of Keystone Reporting" (The History Press, 2012). Reach John at baerj@phillynews.com.
