Omaha
Politician Pleads Guilty to Trespassing at Casino
An Omaha politician pleaded
guilty this week to trespassing at a Council
Bluffs casino after she had pledged to stay
away from all Iowa casinos.
Brenda Council, who twice ran for
mayor in the 1990s, had signed a pledge generally
used by people who want to stop themselves from
gambling.
Council was cited for being at Bluffs Run Casino
at 2:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 31. She paid
a $100 fine for misdemeanor criminal trespass.
According to Assistant City Attorney Don Bauermeister,
Council signed the pledge form on July 8, voluntarily
banning herself from Iowa casinos. On Aug. 10,
Council was warned by staff for showing up at
Harrah's Casino.
Council was then spotted on Aug. 31 by security
in a cashier's area at Bluffs Run and was cited
by Council Bluffs police for trespassing, Bauermeister
said.
Council told the Omaha World-Herald that she
signed the ban for "personal and family
reasons."
She said she doesn't believe she has a gambling
problem.
|
