| New Jersey At least $3,103,638 -- Includes lobbying expenditures from 1992-96 June 9, 1997 America's other gambling mecca, Atlantic City is the legendary casino town of the East Coast. New Jersey also has lotteries, pari-mutuel betting, and bingo, but no Indian casinos, leaving the political playing field open to the likes of Donald Trump's Taj Majal and Steve Wynn's Mirage Resorts Inc. So it's refreshingly ironic to learn that the Garden State has some of the best laws in the country for keeping gambling money out of state politics: State and local lawmakers are forbidden to take direct campaign contributions from anyone connected to the gambling industry. Where does that leave high rollers like Trump and Wynn? Money in politics, like water, just goes around obstacles and keeps flowing downhill. Lobbying takes the place of campaign cash in Trenton. In February, the Press of Atlantic City reported that casino interests paid out more than $612,000 to lobbyists in 1996. We asked the state Election Law Enforcement Commission for lobbying reports for 1992 through 1995 for a few of the big names in Atlantic City and found that just six casino concerns, including three of Donald Trump's ventures, pumped $2.5 million into lobbying. | Contributor | Year | Campaign | Amount | | Atlantic Showboat and Casino | 92 | Lobby | $36,000 | | Atlantic Showboat and Casino | 93 | Lobby | $18,000 | | Atlantic Showboat and Casino | 94 | Lobby | $18,000 | | Atlantic Showboat and Casino | 95 | Lobby | $18,000 | | Bally's Park Place | 92 | Lobby | $50,000 | | Bally's Park Place | 93 | Lobby | $5,948 | | Bally's Park Place | 94 | Lobby | $9,767 | | Casino Association of New Jersey | 93 | Lobby | $1,027,542 | | Casino Association of New Jersey | 94 | Lobby | $664,638 | | Casino Association of New Jersey | 95 | Lobby | $86,104 | | Casino Association of New Jersey | 92 | Lobby | None on Record | | Trump Castle Associates | 95 | Lobby | $63,500 | | Trump Castle Associates | 94 | Lobby | $36,484 | | Trump Castle Associates | 93 | Lobby | $58,443 | | Trump Castle Associates | 92 | Lobby | $36,461 | | Trump Plaza Associates | 94 | Lobby | $36,489 | | Trump Plaza Associates | 93 | Lobby | $61,445 | | Trump Plaza Associates | 92 | Lobby | $36,461 | | Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino | 95 | Lobby | $63,500 | | Trump Taj Mahal Associates | 95 | Lobby | $36,500 | | Trump Taj Mahal Associates | 94 | Lobby | $36,485 | | Trump Taj Mahal Associates | 93 | Lobby | $55,412 | | Trump Taj Mahal Associates | 92 | Lobby | $36,459 | | TOTAL: | | | $2,491,638 | Source: New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission | 
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