The Incongruity Views of Lindsey Graham

For a long time, Senator Lindsey Graham has been well known as the outspoken voice who has continued to rage against online gambling. Graham has continued his crusade against online gambling in an ongoing fashion that makes you wonder—what does he get out of trying to make online gambling illegal? Graham intends to use the upcoming confirmation hearing as a way of pushing back against the legalization of online gambling. William Barr, the Attorney General will hear Graham's arguments. He hopes that he can appeal to Barr through expressing his views on the 1961 Wire Act. They first enacted the 1961 Wire Act during the John F. Kennedy Administration as a way of fighting against racketeering and organized crime groups. 

Online Gambling Becomes Illegal

In 2011, Congress reinterpreted the 1961 Wire Act and viewed it as a reason to make online gambling illegal. However, we have seen a growing number of states that have once again reinstated online gambling as a legal measure. This has had some people in power concerned because it could lead to diverted funding away from the brick-in-mortar casinos. 

Lindsey Graham: Bought by Sheldon Adelson

No one who understands online gambling believes that Graham has altruistic motives in taking down online gambling. In fact, his views even changed from supporting it at one point to opposing it later. What happened? Basically, Sheldon Adelson, a billionaire known for having some of the biggest on-site casinos, lobbied for Lindsey Graham to support banning online gambling. This is most likely why Graham has been in a vicious struggle to get it banned.

In 2015, Graham ran for president, and he had Sheldon supporting him up until Adelson saw Trump and decided to funnel his money over to Trump instead, abandoning his long-time minion like a two-dollar pair of shoes. 

Graham's efforts at persuading Congress has largely fallen on deaf ears, and he has had little effect. As a result, Senator Lindsey Graham has taken aim at the Justice Department in hopes that they will hear his case. Graham has also found an opponent in his fight, Senator Diane Feinstein. Graham argues Feinstein comes from another time, which makes her mistaken in her judgment of online gambling. Some states have also been in the process of introducing new bills for online gambling, and this could have a domino effect to where other states will follow with the legalization.