According to a report from the Washington Poston Thursday, “Lobbyists for Sheldon Adelson‘s Las Vegas Sands Corp. have been working in recent weeks to press for quick passage of [Restoring America’s Wire Act], holding discussions with aides to House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV).” If you don’t already know, RAWA would ban internet gambling in the US and wipe out the regulated markets in New Jersey, Nevada, and Delaware.

A hearing about RAWA in the House Judiciary Committee was reportedly scrappedamid backlash from figureheads like Grover Norquist and political groups like the American Conservative Union, but discussion on the bill does not appear to have stopped.

According to the Post, Adelson (pictured), a longtime supporter of Republicans, and Reid, a Democrat, are closely tied even if they’re on opposite sides of the aisle: “The two are political foes in many respects, but as fellow Nevadans they share an affinity for the home-state gambling industry. And Reid, facing a tough reelection in 2016, stands to benefit from continued warm relations. Even if Adelson is not a direct benefactor to Reid, he could minimize his role in the Nevada Senate race.”

In recent days, the Poker Players Alliance, the main lobbying voice for poker players on Capitol Hill, cautioned that there’s a “very real chance this legislation could be tacked on to a non-relevant, must-pass bill at the last minute and passed into law… We’re very concerned there could be a backroom deal brewing. Now more than ever, it is crucial that we remain vigilant to ensure political influence doesn’t win out over what’s in the best interest of consumers.”

The “backroom deal” the PPA referred to centers on dialogue among Adelson, Reid (pictured), and Boehner; the latter two control much of the agenda in the Senate and House, respectively.

Las Vegas Sands lobbyist Andy Abboud, who was once called a hypocriteduring a House Subcommittee hearing, verified that discussions between Adelson’s camp and top lawmakers have taken place: “I know they’ve had some discussions to some degree about when legislation could move and the need to address the issue. It’s just not clear as to when the timing will be.”

Any bills not acted on by the close of the current Congress will be deemed dead and must be reintroduced in 2015 in order to be considered.

Last week, Norquist (pictured) and the leaders of 10 other conservative groups penned a letterto Reid, Boehner, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) encouraging lawmakers to leave decisions about gambling up to individual states.

“The states have always led the way in regulating gambling and that is why a diverse coalition of organizations… have already spoken out against this legislation,” the letter read in part. “Regardless of your personal opinions on gambling, we encourage you to preserve the authority of the states to prohibit or regulate gambling as the 10th Amendment directs.” The correspondence added that RAWA is an “assault on our Federalist system.”

The main spokesmen for Adeson’s legislation in Congress are Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Representative Jason Chaffetz (R-UT). The latter will become the new Chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee in January.

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