Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Tuesday criticized his fellow Nevada Senator for failing to gather the Republican votes necessary to move an online poker bill.
In one of his most overt attempts yet to advance his party's chances of winning back a GOP-held Senate seat, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is pinning the blame on his junior Nevada colleague, Republican Sen. Dean Heller, for the failure to move an online poker measure.
Though the bill is a priority of powerful home-state casino interests, Reid's latest move appears designed to make Heller look bad and boost Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley's chances of taking the seat, as well as Reid's own chances of remaining Majority Leader.
"It's really a failure in leadership of my friend," Reid told reporters Tuesday, in reference to Heller.
"I have done everything within my power to get the Republicans to come up with some votes. This is an important piece of legislation," he said. "It deals with the criminal element."
About a year ago, the Justice Department issued a legal memorandum saying only sports betting would be barred by a law restricting gambling over interstate wires. Since then, more than a dozen states have explored whether to allow other forms of legal online gambling, increasing pressure for federal action.
Heller noted that Delaware has changed state law to permit basically all online gambling.
Casino owners are concerned that an explosion of unregulated online gaming could threaten their businesses, and they're hoping legislation requiring regulation of the industry will help their companies to control most of the poker that's played online.
"Several months ago, Sen. Reid asked Sen. Heller to secure Republican votes to help pass an Internet poker bill and to date, Sen. Heller has not been able to secure any support," Reid spokeswoman Kristen Orthman said. "Unfortunately, rather than standing to fight for this important issue for Nevada, Sen. Heller has decided to run for cover and attempt to lay blame on others."
Reid gave Heller a deadline of early this week to round up the GOP votes needed to pass it. A Democratic aide said the deadline was needed to ensure enough time for floor consideration before the Senate recesses for the elections. The aide said Reid has 45 Democratic votes in favor of legalizing online poker, which would mean Heller would need to find 15 votes to get past an expected filibuster.
Though they have ostensibly been working together on online poker, Reid has worked aggressively to help oust Heller. Previously, Reid brokered a nonaggression pact with former Republican Sen. John Ensign, with whom he served for 10 years. Because Heller was appointed after Ensign resigned in 2011, sources say Reid reasoned that he was fair game. If Heller wins, Reid could offer a new nonaggression pact with his GOP colleague.
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