Louisiana: Slidell casino approval vote ‘screams ethically unacceptable,’ faith-based group challenges

Louisiana: Slidell casino approval vote ‘screams ethically unacceptable,’ faith-based group challenges

Article brief provided by The Advocate
  • Tyler Bridges, The Advocate
April 21, 2021 2:30 AM
  • Tyler Bridges, The Advocate

The head of the state’s most important faith-based lobby in Baton Rouge wants a do-over on a state Senate committee vote Monday that advanced a bill to move a casino to Slidell.

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Gene Mills, president of the Family Forum, says the tie-breaking vote by state Sen. Gary Smith, D-Norco, when his wife is one of the casino’s lobbyists, “screams ethically unacceptable even if not legally forbidden.”

Mills on Tuesday asked Senate President Page Cortez, R-Lafayette, to return Senate Bill 213 to the Judiciary B Committee for another vote “where no members are married to paid lobbyists or be required to abstain from voting in ethically questionable situations.”