The more information about the Restoration of America’s Wire Act (RAWA) and its supporters that comes to light, the more ridiculous the Sheldon Adelson-backed bill becomes.
For many in the poker industry the legitimacy of an anti-igaming bill backed by a billionaire casino owner is shaky at best, but now it’s emerged that one of its main supporters, Sen. Lindsey Graham, is something of a technophobe.
The Internet Expert Who’s Never Sent an Email
Despite claiming to have an acute insight into the dangers associated with the igaming industry, Graham stated in a TV interview that he’s never sent an email.
Discussing the recent email scandal involving Hillary Clinton with Meet the Press host Chuck Todd, Graham said he’s happy for anyone to check his personal email account because he’s never sent one. Commenting on Clinton allegedly using her personal email account to conduct official government business, Graham said he wants to know exactly what former Secretary of State transmitted over the Internet.
“Did she communicate on behalf of Clinton Foundation as secretary of state? Did she call the terrorist attack in Benghazi a terrorist attack in real time? I want to know,” said Graham. “I don’t email. You can have every email I’ve ever sent. I’ve never sent one,” Graham continued.
Graham Questioning Other’s Online Expertise
This sort of cross-examination from someone who, by his own admission, is ignorant to the nuances of the Internet will be reminiscent of Graham’s questioning of Attorney General, Loretta Lynch. During the Lynch’s confirmation hearing, Graham attempted to hijack proceedings by bringing up RAWA and the dangers of online gambling.
Stating that it posed a threat to the general public and that he had “evidence” to back it up, Graham did his best to highlight the anti-igaming bill on a political level.
“Would you agree that one of the best ways for a terrorist organization or criminal enterprise to be able to enrich themselves is to have online gaming that would be very hard to regulate?”
Fortunately, Lynch wasn’t prepared to pander to Graham and essentially said that terrorists will use any means possible to fund their activities and online gambling shouldn’t be singled out. However, Graham was seemingly disinterested in Lynch’s responses and continued to peddle his message, despite being grossly misinformed about the issue.
Good News for Online Poker
Although his latest admission won’t prevent Graham from trying to push RAWA through the Senate in the coming months, it will hopefully harm his credibility both politically and publicly. To stand against online poker, but to confidently claim that he’s never sent an email implies that Graham is motivated by something more than a concern for public safety.
Online poker in the US may still have its back against the wall, but if more supporters of RAWA can show themselves to be unconnected with aspects of modern life, it could certainly help the industry’s chances of beating the bill.
