In breaking news from California, State Senator Rod Wright has been indicted on eight counts, including “false declaration of candidacy, voter fraud, and perjury beginning in 2007, when he changed his voter registration to run for the legislature,” according to the Los Angeles Times newspaper. Officials allege that Wright did not live in the district he represented.
Wright could spend over eight months in prison and not be allowed to hold public office in the future if he is convicted. On Thursday, he appeared in front of Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg and pled not guilty. According to the L.A. media outlet, he posted $45,000 in bail money and is due back in court on October 8th. Authorities appeared to be tipped off about Wright not living in his stated residence one year ago.
On to the future of his seat in the legislature, the Times asserts, “Even if Wright is convicted of one or more felonies, it is unclear whether he would be forced to give up his seat. With few exceptions, including a recall election, legislators cannot be expelled from office except by a two-thirds vote of their colleagues in the Assembly or Senate.” No such vote has been announced.
What is the significance for poker players, you ask? Wright has been one of the driving forces behind bringing intrastate online poker to California, which would be the first jurisdiction to do so. The West Coast state is facing a sizable budget deficit, leading to a search for new revenue. Wright introduced Senate Bill 1485 to bring online poker to life and, as recently as September 3rd, the Poker Voters of America (PVA) released amendments to further the bill’s chances of becoming law.
PVA President Melanie Brenner commented in a September 3rd press release that the organization would do everything in its power to bring intrastate online poker to fruition by the close of the calendar year: “Poker Voters of America will continue to meet and work with California’s tribes, licensed land-based gaming operators, elected officials, and appropriate state agencies to flesh out the language of these amendments to make sure we win passage of an intrastate online poker system by the end of 2010.”
According to a separate L.A. Times article, “The indictment also alleges that Wright fraudulently voted in five elections in 2008 and 2009.” The San Francisco Chronicle newspaper added, “Prosecutors said they believe Wright has claimed he lives in an Inglewood apartment, but has resided in Baldwin Hills in a neighboring district since 2000.”
In a recent interview with Poker News Daily prior to the news of Wright’s indictment, Brenner appeared optimistic that SB 1485 could be considered this year: “We have a budget deficit, the legislature has to come up with some revenue, and we’re one of the few sources out there. We’ve made big steps over the last six to eight weeks meting with big stakeholders in California to get them involved.” Among the stakeholders in question are 60 Indian tribes that operate gaming facilities, 47 other tribes, and 91 card rooms.
While gaming establishments like the Bicycle Casino, Hawaiian Gardens, Hollywood Park, and Commerce Casino have resisted HR 2267, which would legalize and regulate internet gambling on a Federal level in the United States, they have focused their efforts on intrastate internet gaming in California.
Despite the indictment, Wright’s attorney publicly stated, “We believe he fully complied with the law.” We’ll keep you posted right here on Poker News Daily.
