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Ron Paul speaks out against billionaire Republican donor Sheldon Adelson

Paul wrote about Adelson in his weekly column.

By Thor Benson
Sheldon Adelson arrives at the Second Annual Champions of Jewish Values Awards Gala in New York City on May 18, 2014. UPI/Dennis Van Tine
Sheldon Adelson arrives at the Second Annual Champions of Jewish Values Awards Gala in New York City on May 18, 2014. UPI/Dennis Van Tine | License Photo

Ron Paul accused Sheldon Adelson of using his status as a billionaire donor to the Republican Party in exchange for political favors on Sunday.

Adelson is a major donor to the Republican Party and even gets visits from Republican presidential candidates during campaigns, such as Mitt Romney in 2012. He allegedly spent $93 million in campaign contributions in 2012.

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Adelson is chairman and CEO of the Las Vegas Sands, which runs hotels and casinos, and he is the 10th richest man in the world.

"Congress may soon vote on legislation outlawing Internet gambling," Paul wrote in his weekly column. He said Sheldon Adelson is perhaps known for using his wealth to advance pro-war foreign policies, but he's "now using his political influence to turn his online competitors into criminals."

Paul believes if Congress gets rid of legal online gambling, then illegal, criminal-run gambling groups will form on the internet. He thinks the government should leave gamblers alone, since their actions will only harm themselves. "It is no more appropriate for gambling opponents to use force to stop people from playing poker online than it would be for me to use force to stop people from reading pro-war, neocon writers," he wrote.

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