Pa. High Court to Allow Political Contributions from Casinos
The Pennsylvania supreme court has struck down a blanket ban on political contributions by casino owners and executives.
Pennsylvania’s high court says that the state legislature went too far in creating a total ban on political contributions, by completely eliminating a protected form of political expression and association.
The court says lawmakers could have chosen, instead, to limit the size of contributions, rather than banning them entirely, in an effort to eliminate the appearance of influence by the gaming industry.
The ruling comes as lawmakers are considering a number of bills likely to be of concern to the casino industry, including measures that would reform gaming regulation in the state, and the governor’s proposal to legalize video poker in bars and clubs.