Union Gives $500,000 to Pro-Slots Group

Organization Continues to Raise Far More Funds Than Opponents of Measure

The group leading Maryland's campaign to legalize slot machines reported a $500,000 contribution yesterday from a labor union that represents state employees, extending its sizable financial advantage over anti-slots groups.

The contribution from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees was by far the largest among $611,342 in donations received by For Maryland For Our Future during a two-week period this month. The group also received $100,000 from family members of and a business affiliated with the owner of an Eastern Shore racetrack that would be eligible for a slots license if the Nov. 4 ballot measure passes.

The pro-slots group, which previously reported nearly $3.8 million from gambling and horse-racing interests, has raised nearly $4.4 million -- more than seven times as much as groups opposing the ballot measure, which would authorize 15,000 slot machines at five locations.

Marylanders United to Stop Slots, the leading anti-slots group, reported raising $159,720 during the two-week period, bringing its total donations for the election to $570,773.

Scott Arceneaux, a senior adviser to the anti-slots group, said the latest campaign finance reports showed that the "pro-slots campaign is a multimillion-dollar, gambling industry-funded PR campaign to repackage the most addictive and destructive form of gambling."

Steve Kearney, a spokesman for the pro-slots group, said he would not respond to Arceneaux's "false allegations." Kearney said his group remains focused on its message that legalizing slots would "recapture" money that Marylanders are spending gambling in other states and boost education funding.

The reports showed the pro-slots group continuing to spend heavily on TV commercials, which have aired in the Washington and Baltimore regions, and having nearly $664,000 in the bank.

A spokeswoman for the anti-slots group said it plans to start airing TV ads in Baltimore in coming days. The group reported $224,713 in the bank.

Several other organizations involved in the slots campaign either reported raising little money or had not filed reports as of 5 p.m. yesterday, when the State Board of Elections closed for the day. Groups could file reports electronically later.

The reports, which included money raised and spent through Sunday, are the last look the public will get at the finances of groups involved in the slots campaign until after the election.

The groups are not required to file reports again until Nov. 25, a schedule criticized yesterday by Common Cause Maryland.

"The closing days of the election are a critical time when some people are still making up their minds," said Ryan O'Donnell, the group's executive director. "It doesn't serve the public interest to keep this information dark until the election."

AFSCME is one of several labor unions pushing for approval of slots. Slots supporters have said budget cuts, which would be detrimental to state employees, could result if the ballot measure fails. New jobs are expected to be created around the five planned slots sites, in Allegany, Anne Arundel, Cecil and Worcester counties and the city of Baltimore.

In a previous report, the pro-slots group reported receiving $250,000 from the Allegany Racing Association, which is controlled by William Rickman, a Potomac developer. Rickman owns Ocean Downs, the Eastern Shore racetrack that would also be eligible for a slots license.

The report filed yesterday includes another $25,000 from Rickman's company, as well as $25,000 apiece from three of his sisters.

The largest contribution reported yesterday by Marylanders United to Stop Slots was $25,000 from the James G. Robinson Foundation, which had previously given $75,000.

Last October, while under investigation by the state prosecutor, Robinson, a Baltimore movie producer, agreed to a $119,000 fine for having greatly exceeded the contribution limits allowed under law during the 2006 elections.

Other anti-slots contributors disclosed yesterday included several Ocean City businesses opposed to bringing slots to nearby Ocean Downs.