The Editorially Independent Voice of The University of Akron

The Buchtelite

The Editorially Independent Voice of The University of Akron

The Buchtelite

The Editorially Independent Voice of The University of Akron

The Buchtelite

Graphic courtesy of Liv Ream; movie flyer from IMDB
In defense of Skinamarink
By Liv Ream, Arts and Entertainment Editor • October 1, 2023
Alternative Spring Break 2023 volunteers in Washington, D.C. Courtesy of Natalie Mowad.
Applications open for Akron’s 2024 Alternative Spring Break
By Taylor Lorence, Correspondent • October 1, 2023
The Northern Cheyenne tribe and community walking the ancient Portage Path from Portage Path CLC to the John Brown Home during a previous years First Peoples Day event. Photo courtesy of Portage Path Collaborative.
UA Holds events in celebration of North American First People’s Day   
By Shananne Lewis, Online Editor • September 28, 2023
White swan on water during daytime photo - Free Uk Image on Unsplash
The Swan's Rapture: a poem
By Emily Price, editor in chief • September 27, 2023
Desperately Seeking an Amazon Fighter, sculpture by Kimberly Chapman
"Easy Prey" art exhibit on display at Myers School of Art
By Taylor Lorence, Reporter, Secretary • September 21, 2023
“On the left, there’s me at work! I received the New Student Orientation “Gold Standard” award alongside 
and at the same time as my friend Gillian.”
Courtesy of Connor VanMaele
Fall 2023 Print Edition: Going the Distance
By Connor VanMaele, Correspondent • September 19, 2023
L to R: Steve Horner, Heather Barhorst, Haley Kuczynski, Shawna Blankenship, Brynley Harris, Jessie Redwine at the Pop-Up Pantry. Image Courtesy of ZipAssist.
ZipAssist Holds Community Resource Fair Tuesday, September 19 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the SU 2nd Floor
By Shananne Lewis, Correspondent • September 18, 2023
Film critic Liv Ream and friend pose for photo (Image via Liv Ream)
My Barbie experience
By Liv Ream, Film Critic • September 17, 2023

Giuliani flies around in casino kingpin's plane

“Rudy Giuliani travels around the country wooing Bible-thumping conservatives. And he jets around in a plane provided by the king of Sin City. Sound like the Rudy you’ve seen on TV? Sheldon Anderson, a casino billionaire and the third-richest American, has been providing Giuliani with plush corporate jets, and Giuliani save over $100,000 in travel costs last summer alone.”

Rudy Giuliani travels around the country wooing Bible-thumping conservatives.

And he jets around in a plane provided by the king of Sin City.

Sound like the Rudy you’ve seen on TV? Sheldon Anderson, a casino billionaire and the third-richest American, has been providing Giuliani with plush corporate jets, and Giuliani save over $100,000 in travel costs last summer alone.

Until eight weeks ago, candidates could fly on private corporate jets and reimburse the company for the price of a first-class commercial ticket. It was long seen as a back-door way for corporations to donate to campaigns. On Sept. 14, Congress agreed and the Federal Election Commission changed the rules, requiring presidential candidates to pay fair-market prices for corporate planes.

Giuliani wasn’t the only one to use the rules to his advantage. Flying in private corporate planes alongside him were fellow Republicans Mitt Romney and John McCain, as did John Edwards. Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton accepted no private corporate aircraft, instead renting planes at full market cost.

But none of his fellow candidates were in bed with Sheldon Anderson, the ruler of a Las Vegas empire. If Giuliani seems to be the crime-fighting candidate, why is he partnering with a large and growing gambling empire? While the business is legitimate, it is often a magnet for organized crime.

And what does this have to say of the evangelical Christian support Giuliani has received? Most prominent conservative Christian leaders have remained split over which Republican candidate to support. However, Giuliani has received loud support from Pat Robertson, one of America’s most outspoken evangelical leaders.

Giuliani is two-faced. In bed with the devil and the evangelicals, he seems to be the master of disguise.

There are serious problems with a presidential candidate receiving support and large campaign contributions from casino empire.

Campaign contributions are always watched closely, and some candidates refuse contributions from lobbyists and other political groups. But Anderson’s campaign contribution was allowing Giuliani to save a ton of money on travel expenses, and that slipped under the radar.

It’s good that Congress changed the rules, and that candidates can no longer use the back-door to save travel expenses. Congress is doing its job, surprisingly.

But Giuliani needs to reconsider his ties to big business. As Joe Biden put it, Giuliani’s sentence structure consists of a verb, noun, and 9/11. Maybe he should talk about his stance on gambling or his ties to big business.

We’ll see if the evangelical conservatives who support him will change their mind or not.

They probably won’t, and Giuliani probably won’t talk about anything besides Sept. 11. But that’s okay, because that’s what’s relevant and important to the ’08 election.

It’s unfortunate that the media haven’t picked up this story yet. It was reported by the Daily News on Sunday.

Thanks to their reporting, if ever you needed proof that our politicians are too closely tied to big business – even big gambling business – you’ve got it now.

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