Gaming briefs for April 28, 2004

Wednesday, April 28, 2004 | 10:42 a.m.

Political contributions at issue

The Center For Political Accountability, a Washington, D.C., group created in the fall of 2003 to bring transparency and accountability to corporate political giving, is calling on Harrah's Entertainment shareholders to vote at Harrah's annual meeting Thursday for a resolution that would require the company to disclose its political contributions.

The group, which is pressing a variety of companies to disclose political contributions, said the resolution would bring transparency and accountability to corporate political contributions, which companies currently do not have to report to shareholders.

The Harrah's board has recommended that shareholders vote against the resolution and has outlined its reason in a proxy statement.

Harrah's said that among the reasons, adoption of the resolution would impose additional costs and administrative burdens on the company with little or no benefit to shareholders. The statement also said the company follows applicable laws regarding political contributions and that contributions are reported by recipients to the applicable election authority and are a matter of public record.

Former pit boss pleads guilty in credit scheme

MINDEN -- A former pit boss has pleaded guilty to his part in stealing more than $1 million from a Lake Tahoe casino.

Jason Lawrence, 29, of Indian Hills, pleaded guilty Monday to grand theft, admitting that he used his position at Harveys casino to give a co-defendant, Stephen Johnson, credit tokens.

Johnson, 22, of Dayton, pleaded guilty earlier.

Both will be sentenced May 24 by Douglas District Judge Michael Gibbons in Minden.

Authorities said of $1.6 million stolen, only $424,000 in money and property has been recovered.

Deputy District Attorney Mark Jackson said an investigation continues to try to recover the rest of the money.

"I don't think the entire $1.2 million was spent," he said. "Our concern is that someone is hiding it somewhere in a place we haven't been able to trace it to."