American President Donald Trump helped promote the business interests of the casino tycoon, Jewish-Republican Sheldon Adelson in Japan, when he asked Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to allow Adelson to build a casino in a country where casino activity is banned, according to a new report by ProPublica, a non-profit investigative news website published today (Wednesday)
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It now estimates its benefit from the law at $1.2 billion.https://t.co/BR48K4Eo1a— ProPublica (@ProPublica) October 10, 2018
The report, titled “Trump’s Patron-in-Chief”, documents the impact of the Las Vegas Sands CEO, who operates some of the city’s major casinos, on Trump’s policy.
According to the report, Adelson gave more than $20 million to Trump’s campaign in 2016 and $5 million to Trump’s inauguration, in addition to the tens of millions of dollars he donated to Republican groups and candidates during the 2016 campaign.
This money, according to the report, reinforced Adelson’s influence in Trump’s inner circle.
In February 2017, Adelson visited Washington at the same time that Abba came to town to meet with Trump. The report claims, shortly after Adelson was dining with the president, Trump raised Adelson’s wish to build a casino in Japan – during a conversation with Abba. Two sources close to the matter claimed that “the Japanese side was surprised by the request.”
One source described Trump’s decision to raise the theme “thunder on a clear day”.
According to the report, Las Vegas Sands is expected to earn millions of dollars from operating a casino in Japan.
Japan’s ban on operating casinos for many years, but last year, shortly after Trump entered the White House, the Japanese parliament passed a law allowing three casinos to be licensed under special regulation laws.
The president of the United States used an official state meeting with the leader of Japan to lobby personally for a top GOP donor’s casino license.
By @JustinElliott https://t.co/xtNyhT0WrT
— Glenn Thrush (@GlennThrush) October 10, 2018
Adelson, according to the report, was confident that after Trump’s inauguration his company would be able to obtain such a license in Japan. A week after Trump brought the matter to Abe, the tycoon flew to Tokyo, where he reportedly met with the secretary of Abe’s party.
A spokesman for Sheldon Adelson said in response, “The gambling industry has long sought an opportunity to enter the Japanese market. Gambling companies have invested significant resources in Japan, and Las Vegas Sands is no different. ”
The spokesman added that Sheldon Adelson’s company may benefit from the Japanese market because it has successful operations in other Asian markets such as Macau and Singapore.
Adelson is the owner of the right-wing newspaper in Israel, Israel Hayom, a free daily that defense and act as a mouthpiece to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Adelson said in an event in 2014 Israel does not necessarily need to be a democracy. “I think God didn’t say anything about democracy. He didn’t talk about Israel remaining as a democratic state. Israel isn’t going to be a democratic state — so what?” Adelson said.
