St. Louis mayor accepted illegal contributions from casino company

Friday, Oct. 20, 2000 | 9:12 a.m.

The donations came two months after Harmon helped the casino on the city's downtown waterfront block potential competitors seeking to place gambling boats in south St. Louis County.

Harmon is prohibited from receiving contributions from casino operators by city ordinance, which also prohibits them from giving the campaign donations. Harmon's first term ends in April and he is running for re-election.

Harmon said Thursday he knew President Casino chief executive officer John Connelly had made a donation to his campaign, but that he had not "personally seen the checks." He plans to return the money.

"My staff said they were grateful with regard to me helping them keep the casino open," Harmon said.

The ordinance was passed in 1995 when the President Casino, which opened in May 1994, and other casino operators were trying to persuade city officials to allow them to build larger casinos on the riverfront. It prohibits the mayor and any candidate for the seat from taking any contributions from any casino operators licensed in Missouri.

The law calls for a $500 fine.

Connelly angrily said he did not know about the law.

"It was a personal contribution," he said. "I'll have to see the law."

The donations were listed in a campaign report filed Monday. It states that four of the casino's top officers, including Connelly, gave $1,000 to Harmon's re-election campaign on Aug. 23. President Casino chief financial officer and executive vice president James Zweifel gave $500.

All five are licensed by Missouri to operate riverboat casinos.

Two months before the donation was made, Harmon told the Missouri Gaming Commission opening a casino in Lemay in south St. Louis County would force the President Casino to close.

"I have a duty and responsibility" to keep that from happening, Harmon said. The commission ended up granting a gaming license to Isle of Capri, which plans to open a casino in Kimmswick.

The gaming commission staff concluded that "the selection of either of the applicants located in south St. Louis County (would cause) the President Casino to close," Mel Fisher, the gaming commission director, told commission members before the vote.

Democratic Alderman Stephen Gregali co-sponsored the law to ban gifts and donations from casino operators. He plans to seek an independent investigation.

"The mayor violated the law, and he needs to be spanked for this," Gregali said.

Gregali said if Harmon is charged and convicted, he would move to oust him from office. Such a move requires 19 of the 29 aldermen to agree.

"He's in violation of a city ordinance and that's a misdemeanor, so he's subject to removal," he said. "He needs to be held accountable."