New TV Ad: "Gambling"

UPDATE: Campaign Money Watch is now on the air with a new ad airing on national cable and in multiple markets with high concentrations of conservative voters. The spot, titled "Gambling," highlights John McCain's personal and professional relationships with gambling industry lobbyists. The ad also notes that McCain has taken more than $1 million in campaign contributions from the gambling industry, and calls on viewers to urge McCain to back comprehensive campaign finance reform.



A validation of the information in the ad is available here.




A CAMPAIGN MONEY WATCH BACKGROUNDER


THE BACKGROUND


This past Sunday, The New York Times reported at length on Sen. John McCain’s close ties to the gambling industry. The story detailed the dozens of gambling lobbyists on McCain’s staff and the vast sums that industry has given the candidate over the years.


But McCain’s ties to the gambling industry are deeper than The New York Times reported. He has not only raised almost a million dollars from the sector since 1989 – almost all of which has come from major gambling states like Nevada and Connecticut – but also has allowed gambling executives to play a prominent role on his staff. Thirty-two federal gambling lobbyists, and many more state lobbyists, currently serve as staffers or fundraisers on McCain’s campaign.


With gambling issues at the fore in numerous states in recent years, voters deserve a closer look at the compromised interests of one of the leading presidential candidates.


THE FACTS


  • Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) has raised $951,502 from gambling interests since 1989.(1) 
  • Of that nearly one million dollars, $760,137 has come from gambling interests located in Nevada.  The next largest state contributors are Connecticut ($50,175), Arizona ($31,940), and California ($21,350), all three of which have large Indian gambling sectors.
  • Leading Nevada gambling executives, including the Las Vegas Sands’ Sheldon Adelson and Wynn Resorts’ Stephen Wynn, have bundled hundreds of thousands of dollars for the McCain campaign.
  • Thirty-two federal gambling lobbyists currently serve as staffers or fundraisers for the McCain campaign.

The above is only a snapshot of John McCain’s ties to the gambling industry. For more detailed information, please call David Miller at (202) 448-6154.


(1) Campaign finance and lobbying figures are based on Campaign Money Watch analysis of data obtained from the Center for Responsive Politics, a non-partisan organization that tracks and codes campaign finance data by industry and tracks lobbying. Campaign finance data include individual contributions ($200+) and from Political Action Committees (PACs) to campaign committees and leadership PACs. Data for the 2008 cycle were downloaded in September 2008.

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