Casino & Bingo: CO Follow The Money

Follow The Money

Granted, the amounts are SMALL but still a rather interesting picture
is painted…

Again, this is PRELIMINARY INFORMATION. This is what I found in about
an hour of research.

Craig H. Neilsen donated $400 each (Total $7,700) to 14 members of the
Colorado house/senate during late December 2005 through February 2006.
Craig H. Neilsen is involved in the gambling/casino business in NEVADA
– he is not a resident of Colorado. Craig H. Neilson is/was Chairman
of the Board, President, Chief Executive Officer and Class C Director
of Ameristar Casinos, Inc. Ameristar Casinos donated $400 to member
Peter C. Groff (who voted FOR) on 12/2/2005.

TWELVE of those members (85%) who received money from Neilsen voted
FOR the Smoking Ban that includes an exemption for casinos. Two of the
recipients did not.

Each of these members who received a contribution also voted FOR THE
BAN:
Date is date contribution received/reported.

Mike May $400 12/30/2005
Michael Garcia $400 2/11/2006
Joe Stengel $400 3/3/2006
Valentin Vigil $400 12/15/2005
Cheri Jahn $400 2/10/06
Alice Madden $400 12/2/2005
Andrew Romanoff $400 12/23/2005
Paula Sandoval $400 12/31/2005
Joan Fitz-Gerald $400 1/10/2006
Steve Johnson $400 1/9/2006
Jim Isgar $400 1/7/2006

Joan Fitz-Gerald received an additional $400 from the Cripple Creek
Casino Association Political Committee on 6/26/06. This is after the
passage of the bill. (A “Thank You,” perhaps?)

Peter C. Groff received $400 from Ameristar Casinos (Kansas City, MO)
on 12/2/2005. Groff voted FOR THE BAN.

Voted AGAINST the ban, but also received $400 from Craig Neilson:

Bill Cadman $400 12/2/2005
Andy McElhany $400 1/11/2006

To make things a bit more interesting, each of the following members
who voted FOR THE BAN received $100 each from the Colorado Association
of Distributors/CAD PAC (Aurora, CO). Colorado Association of
Distributors is, of course in the TOBACCO business (read: CIGARS).

Maybe if they donated more than $100 the bill wouldn’t have passed…
sarcasm…

25 donations total. 17 recipients voted FOR the ban (68%), 8 voted
AGAINST. Numerous below also received money from Craig H. Neilson.

TAPIA, ABEL J SENATE DEMOCRAT CO $100 12/07/2005
BALMER, DAVID G HOUSE REPUBLICAN CO $100 11/12/2005
MAY, MIKE HOUSE REPUBLICAN CO $100 11/28/2005
RIESBERG, JAMES L HOUSE DEMOCRAT CO $100 12/02/2005
MCCLUSKEY, BOB HOUSE REPUBLICAN CO $100 11/16/2005
BUESCHER, BERNIE HOUSE DEMOCRAT CO $100 12/08/2005
ROSE, RAYMOND J HOUSE REPUBLICAN CO $100 11/20/2005
PENRY, JOSH (S 007) SENATE REPUBLICAN CO $100 12/01/2005
STENGEL, JOE HOUSE REPUBLICAN CO $100 12/12/2005
SOPER, JOHN HOUSE DEMOCRAT CO $100 11/18/2005
SOLANO, JUDY HOUSE DEMOCRAT CO $100 11/16/2005
JOHNSON, STEVE SENATE REPUBLICAN CO $100 11/15/2005
SANDOVAL, PAULA E SENATE DEMOCRAT CO $100 12/31/2005
ROMANOFF, ANDREW HOUSE DEMOCRAT CO $100 12/14/2005
MARSHALL, ROSEMARY HOUSE DEMOCRAT CO $100 12/02/2005
HALL, DALE (S 013) SENATE REPUBLICAN CO $100 11/18/2005
WITWER, ROBERT HOUSE REPUBLICAN CO $100 01/10/2006

Voted AGAINST the ban:

HODGE, MARY HOUSE DEMOCRAT CO $100 11/21/2005
CADMAN, BILL L HOUSE REPUBLICAN CO $100 11/12/2005
WEISSMANN, PAUL HOUSE DEMOCRAT CO $100 12/01/2005
JONES, ED SENATE REPUBLICAN CO $100 11/12/2005
ENTZ, LEWIS H SENATE REPUBLICAN CO $100 11/21/2005
MCKINLEY, WESLEY HOUSE DEMOCRAT CO $100 11/12/2005
WELKER, JAMES E HOUSE REPUBLICAN CO $100 11/30/2005
WHITE, AL HOUSE Pending REPUBLICAN CO $100 11/18/2005

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Other notes

A total of $207,046 was contributed to various members from HEALTH
PROFESSIONALS during this time period. No surprise.

– A Newsletter Reader