POKER ROOM REVIEW NEWSWIRE
Online Gambling Foe Pleased with Outcome of Yesterday’s Hearing
6/26/2008 1:37:56 PM
Congressman Spencer Bachus called the defeat of legislation designed to block a ban on illegal Internet gambling a “victory for young people.”
The House Financial Services Committee today voted down a bill that would have prevented federal agencies from issuing rules implementing the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA).
Bachus was instrumental in defending the law during debate in committee. Bachus helped author the ban, which was signed into law by President Bush in October 2006. Bachus issued the following statement, “Today’s vote was a victory for young people because illegal Internet gambling brings the casino into their bedrooms and dorm rooms, sometimes with tragic consequences.”
We here at PokerRoomReview love to point out the following exchange between Bachus and Radley Balko during a hearing on internet gambling and the age verification systems in place at online gambling sites to prevent minors from making deposits, just to demonstrate what a complete moron Bachus is:
Rep. Bachus: “Are you familiar with Ross Boatman's biography on Full Tilt poker's website?” (Boatman is a poker pro, born in England 1965)
Balko: “No, I'm not.”
Rep. Bachus – “Let me tell you about him. Ross was 10-years-old when he played poker for the first time. His brother Barney, who is a little older than Ross, was playing with some friends, and after much pleading, they let him sit in. His gambling career didn't really get started until a couple of years later though when he was 12-years-old. Ross was too young and didn't have the money to play with those guys--I guess they're talking about his 14-year-old brother--but they let him sit and watch, and he learned plenty.”
Rep. Bachus looked directly at Balko and asked, “I guess the verification didn't work!”
Balko (responded--looking very confused), “Um, I believe that all took place well before the age of the internet, congressman."
Rep. Bachus- "Okay, was it? I wonder why it's still on the site today…?"