By CATHY SANTOS • May 23, 2012
On Wednesday, 24 fiscally irresponsible Republicans in the Illinois House helped the Democrats pass legislation that would massively expand gambling statewide.
SB1849 authorizes five new casinos (a city-owned casino for Chicago, plus land based casinos in Rockford, Danville, Park City, and the southern suburbs of Chicago). The bill also approves video slot machines for the six Illinois racetracks.
The bill passed 69 to 47, just two votes shy of a veto-proof majority. Democrats Barbara Flynn Currie and Speaker Mike Madigan voted “present.”
The bill now moves to the Illinois Senate.
The House Republicans who ignored the Illinois Republican Party Platform (which opposes gambling expansion) were: Barickman, Brady, Brauer, Brown, Coladipietro, Cross, Gaffney, Hays, Mathias, McAuliffe, Bill Mitchell, Jerry Mitchell, Moffitt, Morthland, Poe, Reboletti, Rose, Rosenthal, Roth, Sacia, Saviano, Sullivan, Tracy, Unes, and Winters.
Shameful.
Cathy Santos is a Republican political consultant.
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