Marylanders United Calls on Puddester to "Declare Independence from Out-of-State Gambling Interests"

The following Memorandum was sent to Fred Puddester, Chair, For Maryland For Our Future:

MEMORANDUM

TO: Fred Puddester, Chair, For Maryland For Our Future
FROM: Hillary Spence, Treasurer, Marylanders United to Stop Slots
DATE: July 3, 2008
RE: Declaring Independence from Out-of-State Gambling Interests

As families all across Maryland prepare to celebrate our nation's independence, I am writing to urge you and your organization to declare your independence from out-of-state gambling interests and agree to reject any campaign contributions and other campaign support, direct or indirect, from these outside special interests. In April, Marylanders United to Stop Slots accepted a challenge from Common Cause Maryland’s Executive Director Ryan O’Donnell not to take special interest gambling money to fund either side of the slots referendum campaign. Scott Arceneaux, senior advisor to Marylanders United to Stop Slots, agreed to the pledge immediately when you were both asked to take the pledge at the Maryland- Delaware - DC Press Association Newsmakers panel on April 18, 2008 in Ellicott City, Maryland.

News broke today that gambling giant Penn National may be planning to put its considerable financial resources behind your organizations efforts to amend Maryland's Constitution and condemn our State to years of increased crime, bankruptcies and addictions. And as we celebrate the birth of the strongest democracy on the planet, this out-of-state special interest is taking steps now, before the voters of Maryland have spoken, to open a slots casino in Cecil County.

Both sides of this debate can agree that it is a good thing to let the voters decide whether Maryland legalize gambling addiction and place multi-million dollar hand-outs to corporate special interest in our Constitution. The Governor and the legislature, when approving this plan as part of the largest tax increase in State history, agreed that it was most appropriate to let the people have their direct say in this important matter.

Therefore, I hope you will join Marylanders United in telling Penn National that they should keep their money and their business dealings out of Maryland until our voters have spoken in November. To do anything differently would make a mockery of the democratic process – a process I know we both will be celebrating this Independence Day weekend.

Thank you for your consideration and have a great 4th of July.