{"id":22248,"date":"2019-02-15T20:47:07","date_gmt":"2019-02-15T21:47:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pokerscout.com\/?p=22248"},"modified":"2019-02-19T15:48:28","modified_gmt":"2019-02-19T15:48:28","slug":"the-doj-should-back-off-the-wire-act-before-more-truth-comes-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pokerscout.com\/the-doj-should-back-off-the-wire-act-before-more-truth-comes-out\/","title":{"rendered":"The DOJ Should Back Off The Wire Act Before More Truth Comes Out"},"content":{"rendered":"

You might not hear anything about the US Department of Justice<\/strong> deciding to back off its latest Wire Act<\/strong> opinion. It will more than likely be a very quiet retreat.<\/p>\n

But with the evidence mounting<\/strong> that the opinion came directly from a casino magnate and anti-online gambling zealot<\/strong>, and opposition to the opinion itself growing every day, the DOJ may soon have no choice but to drop the issue and distance itself from the whole mess.<\/p>\n

The DOJ\u2019s latest interpretation of the Wire Act reverses<\/strong> its 2011 opinion that the act only applies to sports betting<\/strong>. That 2011 opinion led states like New<\/strong> Jersey<\/strong> and Pennsylvania<\/strong> to believe it was OK to legalize online gambling. Plus, several more states also used it to justify the launch of online<\/strong> lottery<\/strong> sales.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s unclear if DOJ prosecutors are going to bring any actions<\/strong> against the online gambling industry based on it. However, the opinion does suggest online gambling in most forms may be a federal crime<\/strong>. Even in the states that have made it legal.<\/p>\n

The influence of Sheldon Adelson<\/span><\/h2>\n

The Wall Street Journal<\/strong><\/a> published an article in January suggesting the opinion looked a lot like the one contained in a memo<\/strong> sent to the DOJ in April 2017 by a lobbyist backed by Las Vegas Sands Corporation CEO Sheldon Adelson<\/strong>. Adelson is US online gambling\u2019s biggest opponent. He has been lobbying to have the 2011 DOJ opinion reversed since it was released.<\/p>\n

The Washington Post<\/strong><\/a> followed that up with an article published on Feb. 7. It contains comments from Washington attorney Charles Cooper<\/strong>, the Adelson-backed lobbyist who penned the memo. Not coincidentally,\u00a0 Cooper previously headed up the DOJ\u2019s Office of Legal Counsel<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Cooper confirmed that he lobbied the DOJ to reconsider its 2011 Wire Act opinion. He appeared satisfied that his memo seemed to resonate so strongly<\/strong> with the current DOJ Office of Legal Counsel administration. Plus, he admitted the new opinion \u201caccords entirely with the analysis my firm undertook and I shared with the DOJ.\u201d<\/p>\n

Famous last words<\/span><\/h2>\n

Justice Department officials immediately defended themselves. They claim the process of coming up with the new opinion was independent<\/strong> and in keeping with department norms and guidelines<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Justice Department spokeswoman Nicole Navas Oxman<\/strong> told the Washington Post<\/em> the opinion reflects the Office of Legal Counsel\u2019s \u201cbest judgment of the law.\u201d Plus, the accusation that it may have been shaped by outside interests<\/strong> is \u201cbaseless and offensive.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, that may very well be the last thing<\/strong> Justice Department officials say on the subject.<\/p>\n

Growing Wire Act opposition<\/span><\/h2>\n

Pennsylvania and New Jersey Attorney Generals Josh Shapiro<\/strong> and Gurbir S. Grewal<\/strong> wrote a letter to the DOJ on Feb. 5<\/strong>, asking that it withdraw<\/strong> the opinion. Or at the very least, the DOJ tell its prosecutors to refrain<\/strong> from doing anything with it.<\/p>\n

Shapiro and Gurbir claim the opinion threatens hundreds of millions in revenue that online gambling and lottery sales are already generating. Plus, the DOJ is doing things contrary to its own policies by changing the opinion that created the industry in the first place.<\/p>\n

They are not alone in their criticism.<\/p>\n

The North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries<\/strong> also sent a letter to the DOJ urging it to reconsider<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Plus, New Hampshire Lottery<\/strong> officials had threatened to pursue legal action if the DOJ tries to enforce the new interpretation of the law with regards to online lottery sales. As of today, they made those threats official and\u00a0filed a lawsuit<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Massachusetts Treasurer Deborah Goldberg<\/strong> has pledged to help state lawmakers moved forward with sports betting and online lottery sales despite the opinion.<\/p>\n

Plus, Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin<\/strong> recently pressed acting US Attorney General Matthew Whitaker<\/strong> on Adelson\u2019s role in crafting the new Wire Act opinion at a congressional hearing.<\/p>\n

Better off backing off the Wire Act opinion<\/span><\/h2>\n

It\u2019s to the point now where the DOJ would be better off<\/strong> simply walking away<\/strong> from the opinion. At least then it can hope the issue dies a quick death.<\/p>\n

Standing behind it will only lead to more scrutiny<\/strong>. Increased scrutiny will only lead to more truth about the opinion\u2019s origins<\/strong> being revealed. Plus, enforcement will just kick off lengthy court battles where the real truth is bound to eventually surface.<\/p>\n

The last thing the DOJ wants is to have to spend the next few years defending itself against accusations Adelson and his cronies crafted the opinion, then bought and paid<\/strong> for the DOJ to make it their own.<\/p>\n

So, don\u2019t be surprised if all is quiet<\/strong> on the Wire Act front going forward. Until all this talk that online gambling is suddenly a federal crime simply fades away.<\/p>\n

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The post The DOJ Should Back Off The Wire Act Before More Truth Comes Out appeared first on Play USA.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You might not hear anything about the US Department of Justice deciding to back off […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"link","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","vebbtech_seo_disable_yoast":false,"vebbtech_seo_hide_author":false,"vebbtech_seo_hide_date":false,"vebbtech_seo_hide_factchecker":false,"vebbtech_seo_fact_check_enabled":false,"vebbtech_seo_post_reviewer":0,"vebbtech_seo_post_review_date":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[374,6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-22248","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-link","6":"category-industry","7":"category-news-category","8":"post_format-post-format-link"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe DOJ Should Back Off The Wire Act Before More Truth Comes Out -<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" 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