Casino gambling is illegal in SC, but some elected representatives help casino owners flaunt the law by making new laws, thus exposing South Carolinians, the general public, investors and others to potential risk or harm.
A controversy swirled for years around the legalities of the opening of a new gambling casino by the Catawba Indian Nation, particularly because the nation agreed per a 1990’s settlement establishing them as a recognized tribe to not pursue gambling on their South Carolina reservation. To circumvent this agreement, the 2,000 member tribe (in the 1990s, whose numbers are swelling in recent years) began a campaign to establish a “satellite reservation” of 17 acres in North Carolina where they pursued approval of a casino. Legislation has never allowed Indian reservations to extend into more than one state before.
This raised some major questions about whether special interests, specifically supporters of gambling, have influenced certain officials in their congressional roles. In an article published in The Standard recently by former Federal government and Georgia State researcher Barbara A. Bush, a connection has been made between the Catawba Indian Nation, casino gambling special interests and South Carolina representatives: US Senator Lindsay Graham, Republican-SC, and including Congressman William Timmons, Republican-SC 4th District, and Congressman James Clyburn, Democrat-SC 6th District.
William Timmons, is the SC 4th District incumbent, a Republican and a relative newcomer into Congress. The issue is whether Timmons’ supposed support of conservative, traditional values is accurate given his history related to the casino project—an issue his primary opponent for the 4th District Congressional office Michael LaPierre believes is clearly against traditional South Carolina moral values and state laws.
Congressman William Timmons campaign Ad says he “can’t be bought”. But, is that reality when it comes to gambling casino legislation?
LaPierre claims that Timmons’ record brings questions. “Why would Rep. Timmons co-sponsor a bill with Marxist Socialist enthusiast James Clyburn (H.R. 8255) to allow the Catawba nation to establish a casino, gaming, and gambling operations? That clearly goes against our state values and laws.”
This is in opposition to what Timmons stated officially in a recent letter of response to that question posed to him by LaPierre. “Timmons letter says, ‘As you know, most forms of gambling are illegal in South Carolina. Games of chance have historically been regulated at the state level in our country, and I intend to continue to support that tradition. I strongly support our state’s ability to write and pass legislation that reflects our own values, just like those that oppose gaming. That is – after all – fundamental to the concept of Federalism in our country,'” LaPierre stated in an interview.
The full text of the letter reads as follows:
April 5, 2022
Mr. Michael LaPierre
1436 Highway 414
Travelers Rest, SC 29690-9149Dear Mr. LaPierre,
Thank you for taking the time to contact my office. I always appreciate receiving feedback from constituents regarding issues that are important to them.
As you know, most forms of gambling are illegal in South Carolina. Games of chance have historically been regulated at the state level in our country, and I intend to continue to support that tradition. I strongly support our state’s ability to write and pass legislation that reflects our own values, just like those that oppose gaming. That is – after all – fundamental to the concept of Federalism in our country.
In an effort to stay up to date on my views on the issues facing our nation, I would invite you to subscribe to my newsletter and follow us on Twitter at @RepTimmons and on Facebook at William Timmons.
Thank you again for contacting my office. It is an honor and a privilege to represent you in the United States House of Representatives.
Respectfully,
William Timmons Signature.
William R. Timmons, IVMember of Congress
“Timmons’ record clearly goes against this statement,” LaPierre stated. “Why would William Timmons accept campaign contributions from three Indian Tribes with direct ties to organized casinos, gambling, and other gaming instruments who do NOT share our South Carolina or Republican Party platform values?”
The Federal Election Commission records contributions of $2,900 each from three Indian Tribes located outside of South Carolina who also have interest in casino gambling. The Turtle Mountain Chippewa Tribe (this tribe is based in North Dakota with gaming interests in the Skydancer Casino), the Otoe Missouri Tribe (located in Oklahoma with gaming/casino interests), and the Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake Tribe (located in California with casino and gaming interests).
Clicking the image will take you to the FEC webpage.
Another connection between casino gambling and Timmons is casino developer and gaming businessman Wallace Cheves. The connections run deeper than just campaign contributions made to not only Timmons campaign but to local and national politicians all related to the Catawba Nation casino. Cheves made donations to the Timmons campaign and spread his support widely around from Michigan to New York to North and South Carolina. Cheves has had gaming and real estate enterprises in both Las Vegas and South Carolina, including Skyboat Gaming and Blue Sky Amusement.
Investigations by North Carolina Policy Watch, OpenSecrets.com, Washington Post and Charlotte Observer have uncovered numerous campaign donations in the name of Cheves’ businesses seemingly aimed at encouraging the relaxing of regulations to allow Indian groups to operate casino and gambling businesses. For example, Timmons’ campaign was given gifts of $2,700, $2,700 and $2,900 from Cheves’ businesses in September 2019. It was also noted that William Timmons’ Chief of Staff listed his profession as a professional poker player for two years.
Cheves’ financial support has spread in many areas, especially where tribes are seeking new gambling operations. In Michigan, for example, he gave $6,000 to that state’s Republican Party.
But his support stretches much farther. Over the past three years, Cheves has contributed $160,000 to the Republican National Committee, and hundreds of thousands more to campaigns and PACs working to remove obstacles to tribal casinos.
Looking back in time, he gave $5,400 to Senator Lindsey Graham’s short-lived presidential bid and was his finance committee co-chair, then he gave $8,500 to Graham’s re-election campaigns in 2017 and 2020. He also gave $2,700 to Patrick McHenry of North Carolina in 2018, a state then U.S. Representative from the area of the state near the Catawba casino project, and he gave $16,400 to committees supporting the re-election of U.S. Senator Richard Burr (N.C.) and $15,500 to committees to elect U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (N.C.). Tillis was the successor as House Speaker to Rep. Tim Moore of Cleveland County, NC, where the Catawba casino land is located, and Moore was one of Cheves’ attorneys (though he recused himself in legislative matters regarding the project.
Cheves gave Senator Thom Tillis and Colleagues Victory Committee $55,900 after the election while he was Speaker of the House. Lindsey Graham, Senator Burr and Senator Gillis also co-sponsored a key piece of legislation to lift restrictions on Catawba gaming outside of its South Carolina reservation boundaries.
Cheves has been indicted in years past on federal charges of illegal equipment where he had 691 gambling machines confiscated, along with almost $300,000. That boondoggle ended up with a “criminal investigation on whether several lawmakers were paid for their votes on gaming legislation”.
Two companies that Cheves has run were ordered to pay judgments totaling over $6 million dollars. In 2003, Cheves was indicted for “illegal gambling, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and money laundering”. The normal protections against graft, corruption and organized crime syndicates have had special legislation passed by Congressmen and US Senators to get around those safeguards for both the public and tribal governments. Thus, there is no scrutiny of past dealings, and no background checks are done. With no scrutiny of persons involved in the gaming and casino business the public, tribal operators and investors are placed at a disadvantage and huge risk for not only losing their shirt.
As example, in Alabama Cheves was involved in a casino deal where multiple NFL player investors lost a total of $43 million. The deal was illegal under Alabama law and many people, including lobbyists, developers and state legislators, were involved in this development, and people went to prison.
The Catawba Nation contributed over $210,000 in 2021 to lobbyists to push for federal legislation to make the off-reservation casino legal. One of the lobbying groups has ties to Senator Diane Feinstein. In addition, $18,000 was given to U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer’s (N.Y.) campaign by indigenous peoples. Schumer is the majority leader in the U.S. Senate.
In early 2021, key legislation was passed to allow the Catawba Nation to begin its casino project. The casino opened a temporary location in July 2021 with 500 slot machines. It is expected to reach 1,300 machines when completed. It initially employed 34 Catawba Nation citizens and 250 staff members. It is located 45 miles from its Rock Hill, S.C. reservation and roughly 45 minutes from Charlotte in Kings Mountain, N.C.
Speaker Pro Tem Paul “Skip” Stam, in an editorial for the North Carolina Family Policy Council, called the casino project a “dangerous precedent” as over 100 state legislators, 1,000 citizens and a number of local county officials officially voiced their opposition to the project. The legislation passed allowing it to “skirt[ed] the judicial process and circumvented the people’s will.”
CASINO GAMBLIING IS ALREADY IN SC
According to the website casino.us, Carnival Sunshine Casino offers 2,000 sq/ft Cruise of casino gambling on its ship/Riverboat in Charleston Port, Charleston, South Carolina. The same website says Big M Casino – Ship II, offers 7,000 square feet of casino gambling on its ship/Riverboat in Little River, SC.
Both casinos offer slots, poker, roulette, blackjack, dice games, and lottery, with the Charleston location offering “other games” as available. The casino.us website says that “When taking a cruise with The Carnival Sunshine Casino you will have access to the wide variety of slots to choose from not to mention the 15 tables if you would like a change in pace while taking in the offers of the casino floor.”
Gambling is working its way into SC through cracks and crannies of the law, including lawmakers who violate their vow to represent the people and not special interest.
Richard Sneed, Principal Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, said in a 2019 letter to the Senatorial Committee on Indian Affairs that “Congress should be working to keep bad actors out of the tribal gaming industry, not sanctioning casino deals with them.” Representatives who bypass, rewrite and skirt around state laws prohibiting gambling open up South Carolinians, the general public and investors to potential fraud, illegal gambling, money laundering, child trafficking and more.
Michael Reed is Publisher of The Standard newspaper, print and online, and TheStandardSC YouTube channel where many video reports may be found. Please share freely and donate to The Standard on this page to assure the continued availability of news that is ignored too often by the dominant media.
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