Say you’re Greg Stumbo, new speaker of the House, and you have this little piece of legislation you’re pushing that would legalize slots at racetracks. Getting it out of the House looks to be a tough assignment under the best of circumstances. Getting the Senate to even consider it appears to be an impossible dream.
So, what can you do to increase the degree of difficulty for this task exponentially?
Simple, let Jerry Bronger start chatting people up on behalf of your bill.
That’s Jerry Bronger of Operation BOPTROT infamy, one of 15 former lawmakers convicted in that racing-related scandal. Bronger, a former state representative, pleaded guilty in 1992 to taking $2,000 in bribes to block a piece of legislation opposed by the state’s racetracks and served 10 months in federal prison as a result.
What in the world was Stumbo thinking? Sure, he and Bronger are longtime friends. But the last thing he needed, if he truly hoped to have some success on this issue during this session, was to have his bill and Operation BOPTROT mentioned in the same sentence. Stumbo should have told his old buddy to enjoy retirement and keep his distance during the slots debate. He apparently didn’t, and the damage has been done.
Goodbye, slots bill.
Larry Dale Keeling, a columnist for the Lexington Herald-Leader, has spent most of his 35-plus years in journalism reporting on or writing editorials and columns about Kentucky’s politics and political issues. He now brings his experience and expertise on those topics to the KyKurmudgeon blog.
careful LD your comment might be construed as being critical of a dem and your sabatical might be over
I have been a lottery retailer for 17 years making the state a pretty
penny, while only collecting a mere 5% for my small company. This
legislation is flawed, shortsighted, and transparent to even the
supporters of this issue. Discrimination comes to mind with lawsuits
galore. Maybe I should buy a broken down brood mare so I can become
a HORSE MAN. Stumbo is certainly on the take. David Williams is clearly the shining star in Frankfort. Keep up the good work Dave…