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By Karoun Demirjian (contact) 
Thursday, June 30, 2011 | 2 a.m.
Shelley Berkley
Dean Heller
Sun coverage
Related story
Sun archives
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- Senate OKs measure to give Nevada boost in online poker (5-30-2011)
- Internet poker bill advances in Nevada (5-24-2011)
- WSOP officials don’t see online poker’s demise deterring event’s momentum (5-17-2011)
- Poker websites’ actions were risky, experts say (4-29-2011)
- Caesars CEO Gary Loveman: Poker indictments present opportunity (4-26-2011)
- Internet poker company looks to Nevada for entry into U.S. (3-21-2011)
- Bill would set regulations for Internet poker (3-10-2011)
- NV considers Internet poker bill, but casinos balk (3-10-2011)
- Board OKs Caesars Entertainment ties with foreign Internet gaming company (3-9-2011)
- Online gambling is illegal, but betting sites’ logos often in Nevada casinos (7-13-2010)
- Question evolving from legalization debate: How to tax online casinos?
- Lawmakers push to regulate, tax online gaming (5-19-2010)
- With aggressive push, Internet gambling again in play (2-9-2010)
WASHINGTON — As chief Democratic sponsor of an online poker bill, Rep. Shelley Berkley is stumping hard for poker players. And it appears they, though more quietly, are pushing hard for her as she begins her run for U.S. Senate.
Last week, the Poker Players Alliance held a fundraiser for Berkley in Washington, D.C. — just two days before Republican Rep. Joe Barton of Texas introduced House Resolution 2366, the bill that aims to legalize the bank transactions necessary to make bets on Internet-based poker games.
The event “was set long before Mr. Barton came to me and said, ‘I’m going to be dropping this bill,’ ” Berkley said.
Indeed, members of the alliance have been on the guest list for past Berkley events, including when alliance Executive Director John Pappas attended a breakfast for Berkley thrown last month by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, where donations ranged from $1,000 to $2,500 a head.
But the group’s focus at this stage in the race is noteworthy.
The Poker Players Alliance isn’t the chief lobbying arm of the gaming industry, but on the subject of online poker, it leads the pack. It has poured more than $3.7 million into lobbying the 111th Congress, mostly on this issue, and making campaign donations to candidates, including both Berkley and, should she win the Democratic nomination, her Republican opponent, Sen. Dean Heller.
Indictments elsewhere in the online gaming world have made the alliance one of the few names in the business that hasn’t been tainted in the past few months by allegations of operating illegally.
All of that serves to make its donations significant, and although campaign finance reports for the second quarter aren’t yet available, it appears the alliance is favoring Berkley over Heller — who at least doesn’t appear to have been the recipient of any fundraising ventures yet.
“We don’t comment on our political giving,” Pappas said.
But Berkley’s confirmation of the event, and its sponsor, suggests that the alliance is trying to give her an early push: a gesture that raises questions about whether the nonpartisan group plans to back Berkley over Heller.
It isn’t that it is filled with Democrats. Pappas, a native of Arizona, worked for conservative Republican John Shadegg for six years before joining the alliance. And one of its highest-profile lobbyists on Capitol Hill, especially on the subject of online poker, is former Nevada Congressman Jon Porter, a Republican who is close with Heller.
Berkley has always enjoyed broad political support in the gaming industry.
She’s from Las Vegas, after all, the one city in the country that stands to gain most, by virtue of the licensing process, from a legalization of online poker.
The Poker Players Alliance appears to have a relationship with Heller’s office. According to Heller’s communications director, Stewart Bybee: “Sen. Heller has and continues to work with a number of groups, including the PPA, to find a workable solution to address Internet gaming in a way that benefits Nevada.”
Heller told the Sun this month that he would like to help move Internet gaming legislation through the Senate before the House, stressing that it “needs to start on this side, because that’s where it failed last time.”
But Heller won’t get to make that call — ultimately, in the Senate, that seems to be up to Nevada’s top-dog Democrat Harry Reid, and Republican Whip Jon Kyl of Arizona.
Heller hasn’t had the chance to prove his word on Internet poker: He wasn’t in Congress in 2006 when the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act — the measure that outlawed transactions of bets — was passed.
Berkley was, and sounded the alarm against it.
“I’m not a stranger to this issue. I stepped up very early, in the early part of my congressional tenure, and I’ve been working on this issue for a decade,” she said. “I was one of the few people who stood up during the port security debate and spoke out against adding this provision in — the ban on Internet gaming — from the start.”
If Berkley proves to have a lock on the Poker Players Alliance though, it doesn’t mean she’s got a lock on the whole gaming industry, which has die-hard Heller supporters. Berkley was Sheldon Adelson’s lawyer at one point, but the two had a falling out and Adelson is now a big Heller backer, financially and otherwise.
Shelley Berkley, the wanna-be-felon, is out there collecting big bucks to help finance her Senate run. She's a disgusting example of how anyone without morals, ethics or decency can be elected to public office if they can raise enough money and bamboozle enough morons to vote for them. I appalled that she represents my Congressional district and will do everything I can to see to it she is retired!
Could we please get another file photo of Shelley Berkely? That one there looks kind of freaky, like a guy in drag.
Just like the mob. Anythng to fleece the public and collect taxes. Just once do something to help our citizens like stopping our involvement in three wars (check with Tel Aviv)or reducing medical costs or reducing the govenment limo fleet or reducing the government private jet fleet or getting 50% of or kids to graduate from high school or bailout wall street... This is all a joke. A government "of, for and by the people" Instead of people let's use the word corporaions
Lots of partys goin on in DC, Harrahs has people in DC to, Pay money to people to get stuff done for us, Money does talk,This is how money gets to buy votes, JOE BARTON do you own any banks?
She might as well accept campaign contributions from organized crime. The Poker Players Alliance is funded by the three companies that were indicted by the U.S. government for money laundering and bank fraud. Let her sleep with them. She'll show us what she's worth.
If the spirit of the Mob could speak, they'd utter, "And they talked about us".
I just donated to her campaign. The future of gambling is on-line w/tech jobs for Vegas!
Hey, FINK...
Who will Shelley Berkley be replacing again?
What WAS his name?
She will make a fine Senator for Nevada.
You go, Shelley!!!
I wish Ms Berkley would worry more about important issues like our sad economy and the even sadder middle east instead of lining up financing for her next re-election bid.
The fact that online poker is a cheaters dream come true should be the biggest concern for anyone who values honesty and a congressperson should at the least pretend that they support fair play, at least on the surface.
It would be nice of her to concentrate on her own little district and get something done.
just one more illegal alien butt kisser if you vote her in, when she gets in she will help harry reid to take more of your tax dollars for reids illegal aliens, just what we need.
dave202, The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) has over a million members who want the freedom to play and compete in a game of skill that they love from the privacy of their own homes with other players in the privacy of their own homes by means of the internet.
As far as I know the PPA received donations from the IGC who received donations from poker sites. Both the PPA and those sites wanted US regulated poker. So it made sense because both separately wanted the same thing. The DOJ indictments against those sites has change that. The PPA as a result of the indictments has a different Board of Directors and different funding.
The over a million members still want their basic freedom.
Thank you, Congresswoman Berkley, for standing up for my personal freedoms. And, thank you, Poker Players Alliance, for whatever support you've given Congresswoman Berkley. I hope she succeeds in her bid for the senate seat.
Thank you Shelley Berkley for standing up for limited government. Many Americans including myself enjoy playing poker online for various reasons. The main reasons I play online is to be able to feed and put my kids to bed and be able to work first thing in the morning. You can play online for a fraction of what it costs in a casino and there is no gas money needed.