Casinos in Arkansas are reopening despite concerns about the coronavirus spreading.
However, some local officials have pushed back to help flatten curve at casinos.
Elected officials in Pine Bluff have tried to keep the casino there closed for another month; however, so far those efforts have failed.
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The group Arcade Arkansas has spent more than half a million dollars on an effort to legalize thousands of casino-style gambling machines across Arkansas.
The group’s proposed constitutional amendment would allow some 15,000 gambling machines statewide under the Arkansas Lottery, and it could create miniature casinos all over the state — with little or no oversight to prevent fraud or corruption.
The group has put serious money into its effort. But Arcade Arkansas recently filed reports with the Arkansas Ethics Commission showing it conducted virtually no activity last month.
This tracks with reports in March that the group was temporarily suspending its campaign efforts amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
In February, Arkansas Lottery Director Bishop Woosley announced that he opposes the effort to legalize casino-style gambling under the auspices of state lottery.
Arcade Arkansas has until July 3 to gather nearly 90,000 valid petition signatures in order to place their proposed constitutional amendment on the November ballot.
On Wednesday, Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s acting president, Alexis McGill Johnson, announced the organization is officially endorsing two candidates in Arkansas: Second Congressional District candidate Joyce Elliott and Third Congressional District candidate Celeste Williams.
In Arkansas, Planned Parenthood’s political action committee has been actively fundraising this year, and the organization already has endorsed candidates for the state legislature.
Last fall Planned Parenthood’s super PAC pledged to spend at least $45 million on the 2020 election, with four main goals:
