Christine Gregoire

The defense employed by Washington Governor Christine Gregoire and her allies in defending her actions regarding a gaming compact with the state's Native American tribes has been to say the goal was to stop a massive expansion of tribal gaming. The facts don't indicate that actually occurred.

[Gregoire spokesman Pearse Edwards] said she had renegotiated the 2005 agreement that included revenue sharing in an attempt to keep gambling from expanding too quickly and after listening to concerns from a wide range of groups, including other tribes.

Likewise, Democratic spokesman Kelly Steele's recent appearance on Seattle talk radio station KVI's "The Commentators" show was replete with references to Gregoire not wanting to turn the Evergreen State into Nevada.

One might chuckle at the notion of Sin City coming north to the meet the nanny state favored by many elected officials in Seattle and Olympia, yet gaming itself continues to expand significantly since the compact was negotiated.