Casino scandal in D.C.

Oh, and did we mention that former Trump Organization executives are sprinkled throughout the Twin Rivers ranks? It wouldn’t be the first time that The Donald has used his office to benefit his business buddies. When conducting a four-state campaign swing of the Southwest, he insisted on returning to Las Vegas every night to stay at Trump International. The Interior Department‘s anti-Mashpee edict has been ash canned by a federal judge, who called it “arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, and contrary to law.” The matter has been kicked back to Interior for reconsideration. “While we are pleased with the court’s findings, our work is not done. The Department of Interior must now draft a positive decision for our land as instructed,” said tribal Chairman Cedric Cromwell.

Added state Sen. Marc Pacheco, “The Court’s recent decision will hopefully prevent the shameful injustice of taking land from the tribe that greeted the Pilgrims as we celebrate the 400th anniversary of their arrival here in the Commonwealth.” Rep. William Keating piled on, saying “I applaud Judge [Paul] Friedman‘s decision, but given that it remands the issue back to the Department of the Interior, we must now remain vigilant to ensure that the Trump Administration does not continue with the flagrant pattern of disregard for tribal rights.” (Trump’s history of racially tinged animus toward Native American tribes is well-documented. His favorite president is tribal persecutor Andrew Jackson.) As Vennochi observes, beheading a statue of Christopher Columbus “does nothing to change the equation of who has power in America and who does not.”

In baseball, some things never change either, such as the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers being favored to meet in the World Series, with the Houston Astros close behind. ““The 60-game season adds more variance and randomness to the sport, creating the possibility of some major upsets in the fall,” said TheLines.com analyst Brett Collson, while nonetheless embracing a Yanks/Dodgers scenario. DraftKings puts the Dodgers at +375 (a $100 bet nets you $375), the Evil Empire at +400. FanDuel pegs the latter at +380 and the Bums at +370. The Astros are late movers, going to +650, while the betting giants don’t hold out much hope for the defending-champion Washington Nationals, +1,800 on both sites, fading slightly from their earlier standing.

Everybody else in a sports-betting jurisdiction is some variety of long shot. The New York Mets are at +2,000 on DraftKings and +2,100 on FanDuel, an improvement on their early spring standings, while the rear is brought up by the Detroit Tigers, at a near-hopeless +75,000 on DraftKings and +50,000 on FanDuel. Even the playoff-challenged Pittsburgh Pirates are +10,000 and +33,000 respectively.

Results from Tuesday’s senatorial primary in Kentucky may not be available until June 30. Why? Because the Bluegrass State slashed the number of polling places from 3,700 to 200. That’s a 92% reduction. Aside from the obvious issue of reduced access, concentrating more voters—Republicans and Democrats alike—in far, far fewer venues just begs for 200 “Covid clusters.” We don’t have a dog in the Amy McGrath/Charles Booker fight but favor every American having as much access to the ballot box as is possible. While the electorate is the ultimate loser, Kentucky power brokers don’t look any better for playing Russian roulette with voters’ lives.

Irony alert: Uniforms for the Palms Casino have been named Image of the Year by the North American Association of Uniform Manufacturers & Distributors. Yes, workwear that you can’t see because the casino is closed is supposedly the best in the gaming category, according to NAUMD. The Palms is cited for having “created a youthful and sophisticated program to complement the property’s recent renovations. The collection is sleek and features sustainable fabrics. It also includes customized colors and styles that allow all the interiors to be the focal point of the property.” Congratulations to Station Casinos but the whole thing feels a mite surreal.

Jottings: Downtown will have at least one Fourth of July fireworks show now. The Plaza Hotel has stepped into the breach with a 10 p.m. that is promised to be “visible for miles.” Kudos to Tamares Group … Business must be a little slow at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood. The property is rolling out a “staycation” package that offers $100-$150 in F&B credits if you book a two- or three-night stay—but only in the Oasis Tower. By the way, you’ll be required to wear a mask “except while in the pool, eating, drinking or smoking in designated areas” … “Flooding the zone” with announcements, Derek Stevens has started taking reservations at Circa for December 28 and beyond. But leave the kids at home. It’s only open to guests age 21 and over. Expect to pay top dollar. Prices quoted by Vegas Message Board for a January 18-20 stay are $427/night, minimum. Compare that to $368 for the Golden Nugget, $248 at the Downtown Grand (for AAA members, anyway), $215 at the Plaza and $201 at the El Cortez. The latter throws in a free prime rib, if you like. Even Circa is a bargain compared to the Las Vegas Strip, where a Flamingo room will set you back $546/night. At prices like those Vegas can’t be hurting too badly.