“I was proud to ask Governor O’Malley to join the SCDP for the annual Issues Conference … [His is] the kind of leadership we are lacking in South Carolina’s statehouse” –Sen. Vince Sheheen

VINCE SHEHEEN WANTS MARTIN O’MALLEY’S “LEADERSHIP” IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

BUT O’MALLEY’S BUDGET “FIX”?   RAISE TAXES.  LEGALIZE GAMBLING.

O’MALLEY CALLED A SPECIAL SESSION OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO LEGALIZE GAMBLING.  “If the General Assembly passes his plan to close the shortfall by raising taxes and legalizing slot-machine gambling … If the session ends in stalemate, it will be a major embarrassment for the governor, who is summoning lawmakers to Annapolis against the advice of their leaders.” (John Wagner, “Session Has High Stakes For O’Malley,” The Washington Post,www.washingtonpost.com/ 10/29/07

“THE SPECIAL SESSION ALSO YIELDED THE FRAMEWORK FOR MARYLAND’S SLOT-MACHINE GAMBLING PLAN.” (Annie Linskey, “His Record Complete, O’Malley Goes Before Voters,” The Baltimore Sun, http://articles.baltimoresun.com/, 4/18/10)

NOW, FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, MARYLAND HAS LEGALIZED GAMBLING.  “Voters approved a constitutional amendment allowing the gambling program in November 2008” (Annie Linskey, “His Record Complete, O’Malley Goes Before Voters,” The Baltimore Sun,http://articles.baltimoresun.com/, 4/18/10)

UNSURPRISINGLY, O’MALLEY’S GAMBLING PLAN BROUGHT COMPANIES ASSOCIATED WITH “SCANDAL,” “BRIBERY,”AND “KICKBACKS.”

IN JANUARY 2010, O’MALLEY VOTED TO GIVE GTECH CORP. A SLOT MACHINE MONITORING SYSTEM CONTRACT WORTH UP TO $38.9 MILLION. “The Board of Public Works has approved a contract that could be worth up to $38.9 million to create a monitoring system for Maryland slot machines. The board voted 2-1 on Wednesday to approve the deal, with Gov. Martin O’Malley and Treasurer Nancy Kopp approving it and Comptroller Peter Franchot voting against it.” (“State OKs Slot Monitoring Contract,” The Associated Press, www.baltimoresun.com/ 1/6/10)

THE BALTIMORE SUN HEADLINE: “OFT-INVESTIGATED GTECH MAY GET MD. SLOTS COMPUTER WORK” (Laura Smitherman, “Oft-Investigated GTECH May Get Md. Slots Computer Work,” The Baltimore Sun, http://articles.baltimoresun.com/, 12/16/09)

GTECH “HAS BEEN ACCUSED OF QUESTIONABLE PRACTICES IN OTHER STATES AND COUNTRIES AND AT ONE TIME WAS CONNECTED TO A SCANDAL” IN MARYLAND. “Maryland officials are poised to approve a $21.5 million contract to set up the central operating system for the state’s slot machine program to a company that has been accused of questionable practices in other states and countries and at one time was connected to a scandal here.” (Laura Smitherman, “Oft-Investigated GTECH May Get Md. Slots Computer Work,” The Baltimore Sun,http://articles.baltimoresun.com/, 12/16/09)

“THE COMPANY OR ITS EMPLOYEES HAVE FACED ALLEGATIONS OF BRIBERY AND TAKING KICKBACKS IN CASES THAT DATE TO THE 1990S.” (Laura Smitherman, “Oft-Investigated GTECH May Get Md. Slots Computer Work,” The Baltimore Sun, http://articles.baltimoresun.com/, 12/16/09)

IS THAT WHAT WE WANT IN SOUTH CAROLINA?  A GOVERNOR WHO CALLS LEGALIZING GAMBLING, RAISING TAXES, AND VOTING TO GIVE STATE CONTRACTS TO SCANDAL-PLAGUED COMPANIES, “LEADERSHIP?” …

… BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT WE’LL GET WITH VINCE SHEHEEN.