Posts Tagged Cavs
Corporate Shill Dennis Eckart Backs Monopoly Casino
Posted by Roldo Bartimole in Economic Development, Media, People on October 26, 2009
October 26, 2009… Former Congressman Dennis Eckart has joined the party. He’s backing Issue 3. That makes it almost unanimous – every shyster in town is backing a monopoly casino for a billionaire.
What a wonderful town this is.
Eckart, a former Greater Cleveland Growth Association (now Greater Cleveland Partnership) top boss, played a liberal politician for years. It’s has been a money-maker as Eckart has become a corporate shill here.
WKYC-TV allows this lobbyist free air access many Sunday mornings on Tom Beres’s Between the Lines. A lobbyist as a political commentator. Do you go any lower?
WKYC reports that Eckart will fill-in for billionaire mortgage man and Cavalier owner Dan Gilbert He is supposedly ill. Gilbert will be one of the owners of a monopoly casino, if voters approve Issue 3, a constitutional change on Election Day.
Eckart will argue for Gilbert’s casino deal in a debate at Kent State University. He is a trustee at KSU.
Once a Golden Boy liberal politician, Eckart has bounced around after leaving Congress. He has been with law firms Baker & Hostetler and the now bankrupt Arter & Hadden. He served in Congress from 1981 to 1993, leaving to pursue business interests as the Republicans took ownership of the U. S. Congress.
Eckart is involved in real estate development and operates North Shore Associates. When he’s not doing business it is reported that he spends time with his family at his two estates. Well.
And then, of course, he plays a slick commentator for WKYC-TV. His liberal reputation makes him an ideal spokesperson for corporate interests.
By backing the casino deal, Eckart shows once again he played his liberalism into a money-maker.
Truth about Gilbert’s Gambling Charges
Posted by Roldo Bartimole in Economic Development, People on October 19, 2009
October 19, 2009… Dan Gilbert, Cavs owner and seeker of a monopoly casino here, laughed off a question about a felony gambling charge against him at the City Club debate here today. He described it as a minor infraction by an 18-year old.
USA Today in 2005, however, described it as an $114,000 betting scheme on football and basketball games by Gilbert and others. He was a student at Michigan State University at the time. The charges, according to USA Today, were “conspiring to violate state gambling laws.” A spokesperson for the Cavs said at the times that shortly after, the charges were “completely dismissed.”
The paper said that Gilbert was given a fine, a three-year probation and community service. After this was completed, the felony charge was erased.
Yes, he was young. Yes, he had gambling charges against him.
Not a very good combination for someone as owner of an NBA team or a casino.
Gilbert supports Issue 3, a monopoly casinos in four cities, including Cleveland, on the November ballot as a state constitutional measure.
Hopefully, you will not.