Lobbyist in Push to Curb Online Gambling Faulted - Washington Post

[I Heart Gambling Online]

A recent lobbyist for the National Football League who now works at the White House is playing a controversial role in the Bush administration's last-minute effort to implement a ban on many forms of Internet gambling before the end of the president's term, according to congressional and administration sources.

William Wichterman, who with others at the Covington & Burling law firm earned $2.8 million lobbying for the NFL against Internet gaming and on other matters from 2004 through March, is working on the gambling restrictions in the White House Office of Public Liaison, White House spokesman Dana Perino confirmed yesterday.

"He appropriately sought and received clearance from ethics officers to be able to work on this rule," Perino said, adding, "I know our ethics officers to be professionals who know the law and the guidelines inside out." She said last night that she could not immediately reach the officers to learn their reasoning in this case.

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