New Jersey is suing the US Department of Justice for not responding to its request for information seeking proof of communications between the department and Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson or his lobbyists that could have potentially influenced the department’s new Wire Act opinion.

New Jersey Atty. Gen. Gurbir Grewal brought suit in a US District Court in New Jersey saying the department failed to respond within the required 20 days to his Freedom of Information Act requests filed in February.

According to Grewal, the department acknowledged receiving the request in March and promised expedited processing but has not provided any records or reasons for the delay.

Adelson has long opposed online gaming and, combined with his support for President Trump and major financial contributions to Republican candidates for office, has led to speculation that the DOJ reversal on the Wire Act was politically motivated.

Adelson has also backed the Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling, which has been fighting New Hampshire’s lawsuit to block the DOJ from enforcing its new opinion that the Wire Act prohibits all forms of interstate online gaming.

Grewal’s press release: https://www.nj.gov/oag/newsreleases19/pr20190507a.html.

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