RSA Employee Chosen to Sponsor Beshear’s Gambling Bill
Much of the responsibility for passing Gov. Steve Beshear’s casino gambling bill will fall on Senate Democratic Floor Leader R.J. Palmer, who is co-sponsoring the proposal and hopes to deliver all 15 votes from his Democratic caucus.
The bill is a proposed constitutional amendment that—if voters approve in November—would allow casinos at five Kentucky horse racetracks, plus two freestanding locations.
It also could make Palmer’s employer even wealthier.
Palmer, of Winchester, is a banker at Ross, Sinclaire & Associates, which sells bonds for government projects. Murray Sinclaire, the firm’s chief executive officer and president, co-owns Thunder Ridge Raceway, a harness track near Prestonsburg that could be eligible to apply for a casino license if expanded gambling is approved.
In 2009, Palmer cited a conflict of interest and abstained from voting on a bill that would have authorized casino gambling at tracks. But this year’s measure is different because it’s less direct, putting the decision in voters’ hands by way of a public referendum, Palmer said Tuesday.
…
Rep. Bob Damron, D-Nicholasville, abstained from voting in the House on the 2009 casino bill, just as Palmer did in the Senate, and for the same reason: At the time, Damron worked for Ross, Sinclaire. (John Cheves, “Democratic co-sponsor of casino bill is employed by horse racetrack co-owner,” Lexington Herald-Leader, February 15, 2012.)
