Baltimore MD Cardroom Busted

[Georgia Avenue]

Fair enough. Some responses:

1. My diatribe is hyperbole meant to get through to politicians who know nothing about poker, not make accurate statements. It is (sorta) what I believe, but I would expect someone who wants to help to write their own letter if they felt like it. If they don't they could copy mine.

2. I was just going by the article and things I've heard second hand. If it was a nice quiet blitzkrieg, I guess I have no point... [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] Though if the cash games continued, I'll eat my hat with 4 sticks of butter.

3. The attitude that "they got what they deserved" for advertising a game is what really makes me mad. This is exactly what lawmakers want you to think about absurd and punitive laws that exist only to give politicians scapegoats. They SHOULD NOT have to be sneaky. The law should be changed and poker should be legal. They will never change the laws unless more incidents like this occur, more upstanding members of society get busted, and more regular people tell the lawmakers/law enforcement that they think the whole thing is stupid. It will certainly take more than that, but it won’t happen at all if people continue to hide poker clubs away and try to appease whatever arbitrary loophole they think will keep the police out of their joint. The fact is, the Liquor Board/cops would have (and have in the past) busted 1. Dry game 2. Games without a rake 3. Games in people’s homes. So the policy of silence and keeping your head down doesn’t work. It just makes unjust laws continue. [/little diatribe #2]

I've already heard back from the Mayor's Office. Please, even if you don't agree with anything I've said, write SOMETHING to one of these addresses today. Thanks.

[tpir90036]

[ QUOTE ]
This is exactly what lawmakers want you to think about absurd and punitive laws that exist only to give politicians scapegoats. They SHOULD NOT have to be sneaky. The law should be changed and poker should be legal.

[/ QUOTE ]
I am not disagreeing with this. But poker at the moment is not legal... and just because people think it should be does not excuse them from being punished if the law is broken. Same goes with liquor laws. The reasons behind them might be crooked, but that doesn't mean you can serve booze to anyone you feel like and not expect the vice squad to show up.

And I will double-check with my friends... but it was my understanding that the tournament was shut down but the people playing cash games were left alone. I know that cash on the people involved was not taken which usually happens at these raids.