Richmond Casino Enemy Sues the Virginia State Board of Elections over Withheld Data

The battle for Richmond City continues as opponents of the casino project seek to block the One Casino + Resort project for a second time. At the forefront of the opposition is Paul Goldman, an attorney and political consultant who is preparing to take the Virginia State Board of Elections to court over allegedly withheld information.

Founder of the political group No Means No Casino, Goldman is firmly opposed to the casino project, saying that its revival has been done without the bidding process the city used back in 2021. Goldman believes that the Constitution and Procurement Act are created precisely to block such deals.

Goldman’s No Means No Casino group was founded in July and is currently seeking to conduct a door-knocking campaign where representatives would advocate against the casino measure. To that end, the group needs access to voter data from the Virginia State Board of Elections.

Goldman Sues the Election Board

Unfortunately, the board refused to provide this information to his group, thus violating the constitution, Goldman says. For reference, Virginia law states that such information should be available to political candidates and action committees.

Gambling news outlet Casino.org reported that Goldman is now seeking help from the legal system and has filed a lawsuit in Richmond City Circuit Court. The lawsuit seeks to bring commissioner Susan Beals and other members of the Board of Elections to justice over the allegedly withheld information.

The board has refused to comment on the matter so far.

The Project Has Both Opponents and Supporters

The Richmond City casino project, also known as the One Casino + Resort project was first introduced in 2021. However, the referendum failed to gain enough support to advance. Rejected by a slight margin of 1,200 votes, the casino project was shelved for two years.

Earlier this year, the Richmond City Council sought to revive the project. The attempt follows Petersburg’s unsuccessful attempt to approve a similar project and grab the state’s fifth casino license.

The renewed Richmond City casino project has the support of many notable individuals, including City of Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney. In an earlier statement, Stoney expressed optimism about the upcoming November vote.

Others are not happy with the project. Virginia State Sen. Joe Morrissey, for example, remains a fervent opponent of the measure. Earlier this year he vowed to combat the revived casino project and block it from appearing on this year’s referendum.