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.
Comments (48)
Just some info in UK paper today, that may be of interest, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2265725/National-Lottery-operator-Camelot-5m-set-aside-staff-bonuses.html
— geminijlw717- Wow, thanks for the link. So that's how they plan on increasing profits... Raise ticket prices. Looks like Governer Crook sure picked another winner!
Tom, great job, please keep up the fight for hard working families of Pennsylvania! Hard working families, fixed income seniors and low income families can no longer afford to have union greed. The unions in coordination with the imbedded socialist party will force our seniors to lose their homes, force seniors and low income hose holds to choose between foreclosure or purchasing life saving medicine as they will not be tolerant or compassionate when it comes to their greed.- Tom, great job, please keep up the fight for hard working families of Pennsylvania! Hard working families, fixed income seniors and low income families can no longer afford to have terrorist unions holding super glue to our heads demanding more of our money. The radical terrorist unions, in coordination with the imbedded socialist party, will force children to starve, our seniors to lose their homes, force seniors and low income families to choose between foreclosure and purchasing life saving medicine as they are not tolerant or compassionate when it comes to their greed.
- Dude, I'm worried about you. Turn off the FOX noise and go outside. Talk to a real person. They're nice, seriously. Your delusion is shocking.
- "You hear of foreign capital in Latin America. You do not hear of concessions to foreign capitalists in the United States. They are not granted concessions. They are invited to make investments. The work is ours, though they are welcome to invest in it. We do not ask them to supply the capital and do the work.... Human rights, national integrity, and opportunity against material interests---that, ladies and gentlemen, is the issue which we now have to face." Woodrow Wilson, October 27, 1913. (P.S. If Corbett started "procuring" slaves instead of unilaterally expanding gaming, I presume that Republicans and Greenhill would argue that that was legal executive action as well? P.S. To our British Brothers, we know you need investment opportunities with the decline of your empire, but there has to be another way.— RR
- wow wok calling someone a troll. what's next calling them a clown. typical lib resort to name calling. but mommy the republicans are sooooo mean. lol— rysagr
- Nah, not mean. Just dumb. And I suppose repubs calling the president Obummer, etc. is so adult? Geez,grow up. — mike l
- "Privatization fails the general public in almost all cases." --- Then why the hypocrisy over selling PGW? Why is there no outrage at that privatization? The end result of a private company owning PGW is higher monthly bills for consumers.— psyrus
- Phillies2008WSChamps - the lottery is already profitable? Why sell? Privatization fails the general public in almost all cases.— FishtownYo
- Corbett could offer a cure for cancer and the Pa. Democratic Party would reject it and the Inky would smear it.— CD75
- Corbett would sell it to the highest bidder and make sick pay have to pay through the nose to get it. Hey, cd, you in favor of Corbett selling the State Police? You ready to hire your own police force? — mike l
- Actually, most republicans can't stand Corbett either. Your posts would work better if you substituted Repubs for Dems and Obama for Corbett. Troll.
— wokmaster - Dem party: we want our nepotism over what is best for the state.— CD75
- Who says paying a British firm billions out of state lottery fund is best for the state, cd? If they guarantee $34 billion, then they expect to pull a whole lot more than that out of the lottery. Why not keep it all here? That is what is best for the state, if you could think a little bit. — mike l
- while on the surface i don't like the idea of turning it over to a private company when i see the expensive dinners charged by the turnpike comm. i think maybe we need a change.— rysagr
- @cityslicker, please copy/paste your post into a spell checker next time. It made little sense. But what you did manage to prove is just how insulting liberals/Dems are on these boards. Did you have a problem when Obama sold Chrysler to Fiat, an Italian company? I doubt it.— psyrus
- If the state can make more money from the lottery by shifting the adminstration of the lottery to private company,it should be done. The state is under no obligation to use the highest priced labor to conduct its business, in fact it has the moral imperitive to use the least expensive labor.— Wildman Bill
- What are you talking about, man? The state has EVERY moral obligation to guarantee the best possible wages for its workers. And there's no guarantee that this firm will make one more penny for the state than our already extremely profitable lottery system does.
- Corbett went ahead and filed an intent to award this contract despite the fact that the bid process did not result in competition. Every other company dropped out of the process because of funny business by Corbett. This British company was the only company that bid on the contract. Kane needs to stop the award of the contract and launch an investigation to determine if anything illegal occured.— MikeP
- The other bidders dropped out because the contract was very one sided in favor of the Commonwealth. — jfar86
- What other bidders? — mike l
- The jobs should stay in this country. Send Corbett to the UK.— moretoit
- Corbett, the latest one term Governor. This lottery give away is an abject failure a clear example of abuse of power. If this is such a good deal, why did Corbett try to ram it through without public comment, legislative approval and before AG Kane took office? Why are there no bids from other companies? A contract of this length must have competing bids. It also appears that the Governor has over-stepped his authority. He has no power to expand the lottery, only the Legislature can. He promised something in the contract that he cannot deliver... He should focus on getting out of the liquor business first...— Getinline
- @psyrus
your a idiot.Still sore over Romney and the tea plarty losing? this has nothing to do with politics you A hole.Its about jobs leaving our state to a foriegn company.How would you feel if it was your job or one of your family members.Get your head out of the sand and use your commen sence.This lottery actually makes a hugh profit while supporting seniors and jobs for lpa workers.Get a life of better yet move to England.You are not american.— cityslicker - I think Corbett is doing a good job of outsourcing jobs to foreign countries. That's why we elected a Republican for governor. If you want jobs to stay in America, vote for Democrats.— pic man
- please Kane reject this thiefs award to a foriegn company.— cityslicker
- We need 2 attorneys general to keep track of all of Corbett's corruption. Hopefully KANE IS ABLE.
(I just wanted to type "attorneys general")— carl and sons - Now my lottery money will not be going for the service of the aged. It will be going to services to the rich businessmen from another country.
Good jon Tommy boy, you are a self-serving ideologue who cares little for the people of Pennsylvania. I see your lottery move as being unethical and a disservice to the peoiple of PA. I hope for the good of us all, you are indeed a one term governor.
I know I will be working for anyone who opposes you.— readingspecialist 1 - You have no idea what you are talking about. The purpose of this deal was to generate more revenue for the elderly, and the outside management company had to guarantee profits at a certain level. They also have incentives to generate additional profits for the Commonwealth.
This deal is not meant to take money from the state - it's meant to create more money for the state.— jfar86 - YOU have no idea what you're talking about. If you really think any of Corrupt Corbett's deals benefit Pennsylvania, I've got a great deal for you on a couple of really nice bridges. Wow, you're deluded.
- One thing is clear. If Kane outright rejects the contract she is nothing more than a legal stooge of the Democrat party and its also clear that she will be used to make attempts to block progress in PA. The orignal party of 'NO' strikes again. How sad.— psyrus
- The RepubliCons are the party of no, and if Kane rejects this scam, the only thing it will make her is right.
- Why does one term Tommy hate Pennsylvania businesses?— The Fundamentals of the Economy are Fine
- 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
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
- 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
- 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 - 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?
- Kane needs to run against Corbett for Governor. ONE TERM TOM!— PhillyTerm
- Ditto— truthfirst
- 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
- 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 - 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
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About this blog
John Baer has been covering politics and government for the Daily News since 1987. The National Journal in 2002 called Baer one of the country's top 10 political journalists outside Washington, saying Baer has, "the ability to take the skin off a politician without making it hurt too much." E-mail John at baerj@phillynews.com.
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.
John Baer
Daily News Political Columnist
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.
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