Sen. Larry Borst, long time chair of the Senate Finance Committee, opposed expansion of gambling in Indiana. His legislative career ended when he was defeated in a primary challenge by Brent Waltz who ended up going to jail as part of a campaign finance scheme involving casino money. Today, Whitney Downard, writing for the Indiana Capital Chronicle, reports that former Rep. Sean Eberhart is pleading guilty to casino related charges.
Former Shelbyville Rep. Sean Eberhart has signed paperwork to plead guilty to a federal felony charge related to his conduct as a lawmaker, specifically related to Spectacle Entertainment’s bid to relocate two casinos from Lake Michigan to “other areas beneficial to Spectacle.”
In a Friday morning release, the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Indiana said he had conspired “with others to solicit and receive the promise of future, lucrative employment with a gaming company in exchange for his support of legislation beneficial to the gaming company.”
It’s been a long time, so maybe I’m overselling Sen. Borst’s opposition to gambling in Indiana. But, based on the resulting corruption, it seems like he may have had a point.
Another problem solved if legislators simply didn’t accept campaign contributions.
Never would happen, of course.
To paraphrase Mark Twain: “We have the best Legislature money can buy. And it has.”