Before taking over the operations at the Meadowlands racetrack, Jeff Gural never made political contributions in New Jersey. Since taking over the track, he has made better than 0,000 in contributions. Atlantic City casino operators are prohibited by state law from contributing to campaigns of any local or state candidates.
Along with operating racetrack, Gural has proposed building a casino at the Meadowlands—a process that would likely entail a long political fight between northern New Jersey politicians and southern New Jersey politicians looking to protect Atlantic City’s casinos.
Gural is a New York City resident, but the report found he has made donations with his wife of $164,675 to New Jersey state and local candidates of both parties, according to the Election Law Enforcement Commission. Most of the contributions were made to state lawmakers. Gural also donated $ 10,000 to Senator Robert Menendez’s legal defense fund.
Gural’s New Jersey contributions, however, are dwarfed in New York where he is the owner of two racinos. According to New York Public Interest Research Group, he gave $705,400 in 2012 and 2013 to that state’s candidates.
