RAWA Hearing Canceled Due to Inclement Weather

Online poker activists have found a new ally! Mother Nature has sided with the pro-online gambling crowd by forcing the cancellation of a March 5 congressional subcommittee hearing that was set to take a look at the Restoration of America's Wire Act (RAWA).

The forecast of a winter storm in Washington, D.C. complete with ice cold temperatures has put RAWA on ice for the time being.

Billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson may exercise control over some Republican lawmakers, but he cannot spend whatever it takes to control the weather. The octogenarian is behind RAWA, a bill aimed at wiping out online poker and gambling in the U.S. that was proposed by Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz.

The hearing featured a witness list that was slanted in favor of RAWA supporters. University of Illinois Professor John Kindt, a previous contributor to UIGEA legislation in 2006; Mike Fagan, a law school instructor and former U.S. State's Attorney; and the director of Stop Predatory Gambling, Les Bernal, were all expected to shill for Adelson. Parry Aftab, an Internet security specialist and head of WiredSafety.com, was in line to speak on behalf of online poker legislation.