Posted on 08/13/2005 7:58:37 PM PDT by eartotheground
TALLAHASSEE - It was billed as the 11th annual tribute dinner to state Sen. Jim King, the Jacksonville Republican and veteran legislator who is former president of the Senate. The event, held last week at the Four Seasons luxury hotel in Dallas, attracted nearly a dozen lawmakers, including three state senators who will be responsible for helping craft legislation that regulates the use of slot machines at three Broward County racetracks and a jai-alai fronton.
And who picked up the tab for the dinner? A cadre of Tallahassee lobbyists, many of whom represent the same tracks and other gambling interests that will have a vital stake in whatever measure state lawmakers approve later this year. Lobbyists representing Gulfstream Park, Pompano Park Harness Track and the Seminole Tribe of Florida helped pay for the meal.
King and others who attended the event say it was a social event that included short speeches and jokes, and not any talk about any pending legislative business.
''The people are there because it's a Jim King dinner, they are not there to lobby,'' King said.
But the dinner, held in conjunction with a legislative convention last week in Dallas, highlights the cozy and shadowy relationship between lawmakers and lobbyists. An effort by Senate President Tom Lee this past year to force lobbyists to disclose more information about the gifts and meals they give legislators was shot down by the Florida House.
When asked about the Dallas event, King grew defensive, noting that lobbyists pay for annual ''Florida'' dinners for state legislators who attend either the annual American Legislative Exchange Council convention or the National Conference of State Legislatures convention, which kicks off next week in Seattle.
''What's the big deal? We go out to lunches and dinner all the time,'' said King, adding that most of the lobbyists who attended the dinner are all longtime friends of his.
`NO BIG SECRET'
Lobbyist Jack Skelding, who represents Pompano Park Harness Track and was one of the Dallas event sponsors, said that the King dinner is ``not a big secret. We've been doing it for 11 years.''
There's nothing illegal about lobbyists paying to wine and dine legislators, unless the value of the meal is in excess of $100. But they are required to report any gifts worth more than $25. Yet a Herald review has found that only a handful of lobbyists routinely report such meals. Many lobbyists have found ways to avoid the gift disclosure requirement by dividing up meals among their clients, or having other lobbyists help pay to bring down the cost so it's no longer reportable.
The primary lobbyist who has paid for the King tribute dinner, Barry Horenbein, is a longtime friend of King. Horenbein has a long list of clients, including the Florida Greyhound Association and the Seminole Tribe of Florida -- the fate of whose own casinos could be greatly affected by whatever law is eventually passed by the Legislature.
SPECIAL SESSION
Lawmakers, who failed to pass a bill to regulate slot machines during their annual session this past spring, are expected to hold a special session in October to grapple with the contentious issue once again. Voters last fall approved a measure that allows Broward and Miami-Dade parimutuel facilities to ask local voters if they want slot machines. In March, Broward voters approved slot machines, while Dade voters turned them down.
Among the legislators joining King at the Dallas dinner were Sen. Dennis Jones, a Pinellas County Republican and chairman of the Senate Regulated Industries committee, which will have a key role in writing and reviewing any gambling legislation, as well as Sen. Dave Aronberg, a West Palm Beach Democrat. Both Aronberg and King are members of the Senate Regulated Industries committee.
The dinner, in a private dining room at the Four Seasons, was held on Aug. 3 to coincide with the annual meeting of the American Legislative Exchange Council, a conservative-leaning organization of state legislators. King said Horenbein has put together a dinner for the past 11 years in the same town as the annual ALEC convention and is responsible for deciding who's invited.
Horenbein, who has not filed any gift disclosure forms from 1994 to 2004 that detail his paying for the annual tribute dinner, did not respond to repeated phone calls from The Herald.
KEY PLAYERS
Nine state senators, including Sen. Skip Campbell, a Fort Lauderdale Democrat, as well as two House members attended the dinner.
''I was invited and I like Jim King,'' Campbell said.
Aronberg said that no one at his table ever discussed pending legislation, including anything dealing with slot machines and gambling.
''The topic never came up,'' he said.
The list of lobbyists who attended the dinner and helped pay for it included Gene McGee, who is helping run King's 2006 reelection campaign, Christopher Moya and Skelding. Each of these lobbyists has a lengthy list of clients.
State records show that McGee represents the Jacksonville greyhound racing track, while Moya represents Gulfstream Park.
Another attendee was Isle of Capri executive Allan Solomon, whose casino company owns Pompano Park Harness Track. Skelding said that Solomon was not a sponsor of the dinner.
Skelding said he invited Solomon and his family as guests because Solomon had previously taken Skelding and his family to dinner in Fort Lauderdale.
''They don't know all these senators and lobbyists,'' Skelding said. ``It was very much a social thing. I wouldn't have invited Mr. Solomon if it wasn't a social event.''
Slot machines and lotteries are great ways to tax the poor (besides booze and cigarettes). Even if they win you get it all back eventually.
What I am really interested in is connecting the dots:
Jim King - gambling lobby - Florida - indian casinos -(?)-
Abramoff - organized crime - ????????
"Lobbyist Jack Abramoff appeared in federal court Friday on charges of committing fraud while trying to buy a casino boat company — a case that has attracted attention because of Abramoff's close ties to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.
The court appearance came a day after Abramoff was indicted in Florida. He surrendered to the FBI later Thursday in Los Angeles.
When U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Game asked Abramoff if he was aware of the charges, the lobbyist replied, "Yes, sir."
Game ordered Abramoff to give up his passport before allowing his release ahead of his return to Florida next week. Abramoff later left the courthouse and departed in a car without commenting to reporters.
He was told he could post $250,000 of a $2.25 million bond on Tuesday in Florida only if federal prosecutors there determine that the money came from legitimate sources, said U.S. Attorney's spokesman Thom Mrozek. Family members would be liable for the balance of the bond if Abramoff fails to appear at any subsequent hearing.
A defense attorney said Abramoff was in contact with law enforcement immediately after hearing about the charges.
"He does look forward to returning to Miami where he will vigorously defend against the charges against him," Anthony Pacheco said after the court appearance.
The six-count federal indictment unsealed in Fort Lauderdale alleges that Abramoff, 40, and a partner, Adam Kidan, 36, of New York, faked a $23 million wire transfer to defraud two lenders out of some $60 million to finance the $147 million purchase of SunCruz Casinos from Konstantinos "Gus" Boulis in September 2000.
The deal ultimately collapsed and Boulis, 51, was killed five months later in an apparent hit. The shooting is unsolved.
Abramoff's indictment alleges that he used SunCruz income to pay for political fundraising activities. He has denied any wrongdoing concerning SunCruz.
Abramoff is also under investigation for his lobbying activities on behalf of Indian tribes and for his role in paying for overseas trips for DeLay. The Texas Republican has denied knowing Abramoff paid the expenses.
Both Abramoff and Kidan, who has also denied doing anything wrong, could face up to 30 years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines if convicted in the Florida case."
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