Landrieu defends gambling contributions

Thursday, Feb. 17, 2000 | 10:46 a.m.

"That's a legal, legitimate industry," Landrieu said during a visit to Baton Rouge Wednesday.

As she campaigned for governor in 1995, Landrieu railed against the gambling industry and said her campaign would not accept contributions from it.

New campaign finance reports show Landrieu's 2002 U.S. Senate re-election campaign received a $5,000 donation from the political action committee for Harrah's Entertainment Inc. in October. That's the maximum contribution allowed under federal law.

Harrah's has casino interests in New Orleans and Shreveport and, if a planned acquisition of Players goes through, will have two riverboat casinos in Lake Charles.

Landrieu, D-New Orleans, said the change in her stance on gambling money is easy to explain because of the difference in authority a governor has over gambling issues compared to a U.S. senator.

As a governor, Landrieu said, she would have had the authority to propose laws affecting the gambling industry and appoint the state's gambling board, which hands out licenses.

As a U.S. senator, Landrieu said there is no such direct involvement. "I don't give out licenses," said Landrieu.

Landrieu said issues involving the gambling industry may come up in the Senate, but she will treat such legislation just like any other.

"I have never been an advocate for gambling," said Landrieu.

Landrieu said she considers taking a contribution from Harrah's as being no different from accepting contributions from agriculture, the oil and gas industry and "thousands of other industries in the nation."

Landrieu said she thinks gambling should be limited.

"There's too much gambling in this nation," Landrieu said. "Gambling is not our future. Education is."