INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The leader of the Indiana House is skipping votes on a major gambling-related bill after a casino investor arranged a local government contract for his law firm.
The Indianapolis Star reports Republican House Speaker Brian Bosma is working for the Vigo County Capital Improvement Board, which is among entities supporting the bill to allow a proposed Terre Haute casino.
Bosma told the House ethics committee he was first contacted about the work by then-Vigo County board member Greg Gibson, an investor in Spectacle Entertainment seeking to move a Gary casino license to Terre Haute. Bosma says the contract hasn’t influenced his legislative actions.
The Star previously reported Spectacle’s CEO treated Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb to private jet flights last year as they traveled together for meetings in Colorado and Arizona.