Ron Paul in Roanoke Times: Will Republicans bet on Liberty?

C4L Chairman Ron Paul penned an op-ed today in the Roanoke Times calling on the House GOP to reject the Restore America’s Wire Act (H.R. 707) which would overturn laws in seven states and ban online gambling. Roanoke is the backyard of House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte, who will hold a hearing on H.R. 707 tomorrow.

As C4L has noted numerous times, this legislation is being pushed by one wealthy billionaire who also happens to be a huge political donor. As Dr. Paul notes, this legislation also turns the 10th Amendment “on its head”

Even if state laws allowing Internet gambling undermine laws in other states outlawing such practices, it would not justify making gambling online a federal crime. The 10th Amendment makes no exception for federal legislation “protecting” state laws from being undermined by laws in other states. By trying to turn federalism into a justification for new federal law expanding the surveillance state, the Restoration of America’s Wire Act threatens the online privacy of all Americans. Supporters of the Restoration of America’s Wire Act are replacing constitutional federalism with bizarro federalism.

Read the full op-ed here.