In an unlikely pairing, former Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed has thrown the support of his Faith & Freedom Coalition behind Sheldon Adelson’s Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling, Buzzfeed reports.
Lawyers for Reed told BuzzFeed that the move is “entirely consistent with Dr. Reed’s prior positions with respect to the expansion of gambling in the U.S.”
Eleven state chapters of the Faith & Freedom Coalition, a Christian political group Reed chairs, are listed as members of the Adelson-backed coalition.
Reed was previously involved with a scandal while working with lobbyist Jack Abramoff to have Christian groups oppose the development of more casinos in the country. It was eventually disclosed that Abramoff was paid by various Native American tribes that operate casinos that were seeking to block new competition.
Reed has denied any wrongdoing in the scandal and was never charged with a crime.
Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling spokesman Dan Wilson acknowledged to Buzzfeed that the pairing could seem strange.
“These are state-based affiliates that don’t normally stand with casino interests, but found common cause in order to halt Internet gambling,” Wilson told the website in an e-mail. “As far as I’m aware—none of the FFC chapters who are CSIG members received money from LVS [Las Vegas Sands]/Adelson.”
