Casino issue spurs donations to parties before session starts

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida Republicans and Democrats took in millions in the last three months of the year, as companies involved in a contentious fight over casinos in the Sunshine State poured tens of thousands into party campaign accounts.

Campaign reports filed Tuesday showed that the Republican Party of Florida raised nearly $7.5 million in the final three months of 2011. That was the best fundraising quarter the party had last year.

The Florida Democratic Party, by contrast, raised just over $1.78 million.

Both parties took in large amounts of money from those trying to convince the GOP-controlled Legislature to either approve, or kill, a bill that would allow the creation of three large casinos in the state. The measure, which passed its first hurdle in the Senate earlier this week, would also now allow the state's dog and horse tracks to expand their gambling operations as well.

The 2012 session officially started on Tuesday.

A subsidiary of Genting, the Malaysian company that wants to build a casino in downtown Miami on the shores of Biscayne Bay, donated nearly $100,000 to Democrats and $200,000 to Republicans. Genting also picked spent more than $6,000 on food and beverage for Democrats as well. Campaign reports show that during the second half of 2011 Genting has now donated more than $626,000 to political parties, legislators and political committees in Florida.