Long on his gambling habit: "It's nothing more to me than a way to relax."

The average monthly Social Security benefit for a retired worker was about $1,164 at the beginning of 2010. This amount changes monthly based upon the total amount of all benefits paid and the total number of people receiving benefits. A retired worker can expect to receive an annual Social Security benefit of $13,968

Auctioneer Billy Long, who wants to privatize Social Security, paid more than an average retired worker's TOTAL ANNUAL SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFIT ($13,968.00) TO BUY INTO ONE (THAT'S RIGHT, 1, AS IN SINGULAR, UNO, ONE) POKER GAME AT A CASINO IN BILOXI MISSISSIPPI!*

In today's SN-L, in a story about auctioneer Billy Long by Corey DeVera, she questioned Long about his gambling habits:

Asked about talk that he gambles, Long wrote in an e-mail: "The truth is less exciting than the rumors. I have played cards and my family and I have been to Las Vegas. I've built a successful small business, raised two beautiful daughters and have been married to the same wonderful woman for over 26 years. It should be obvious that this is not a big part of my life and that it's nothing more to me than a way to relax."

This almost slipped by me, "Long wrote in an e-mail" translated "I ran back to my handlers and they wrote out this answer for me"

I've played cards, I've been to Las Vegas, I also ran a successful small business, I've got a beautiful wife of 30 plus years and a lovely daughter also, but I never would even dream of spending that kind of money to get into a poker game like Mr. Long has. I work too hard for my money to waste it away like he does. Show me those Missouri values again, Billy!

Corey-- you left him off the hook with this answer. He bluffed you out. What did his wife and family have to do with your question about gambling?

All Hat No Cattle asks if Billy is gambling with your future?

Most God fearing southwest Missourians want their congressman to play it safe with their money. Keep taxes low, don’t spend money for bridges to nowhere and live the values we’ve learned as Ozarkers. In other words, don’t spend money you don’t have and for sure don’t bet the milk money on a high stakes poker game. Right?

Well, Billy didn’t get the message. In January 2009, Billy laid down $20,000.00 at the Southern Poker Championships so he could finish in 116th place. Sure, it was his money and he can spend it anyway he wants. If you’re a multi-millionaire, who cares if you drop $20,000.00 at a casino?

On the other hand, if you’re out trying to sell yourself as one of those hard working, God fearing southwest Missourians who want you – the congressman – to play it safe with their money, then it’s a problem.

Underneath Billy’s aw shucks exterior is a guy who likes to gamble. Will he gamble with your money?

Ask Billy if his love of gambling is the kind of family value he’ll take to Washington.

Billy tells us he only plays cards for relaxation and he loves his wife and children.

Oh heck, let's let Billy explain it as he did in this email he sent to a supporter who asked him about his gambling habits. (He seems to have tightened up his answers a little bit since last May. Or maybe his handlers wrote the email to DeVera.)

This email from Billy to a supporter is classic Billy, always the victim: btw--I know who the recipient of this email is.

-----Original Message-----

From: Auctnr1@aol.com

Sent: Fri, May 7, 2010 5:28 pm

Subject: From Billy Long

What I would really like to do is have a cup of coffee with you and (redacted) as soon as possible. I'll be glad to fill you in completely on everything and I'll be 100 percent honest with you as I am with everyone.

I just returned today from a week in Washington, D.C. and it was fabulous. One of the groups I met with is 100 percent anti-gambling and they had agreed to endorse me months ago until another of the candidates started a "Whisper Campaign" against me concerning gambling and then they backed off. When I met with them again this week and leveled with them concerning everything and all of these wildly exaggerated claims their executive director said he thinks he "smells a rat." He's going to run my name up the flag pole again and tell his state people that he again wants to endorse me and if he gets push back from one or two certain people then his suspicions will be confirmed and I will indeed get their endorsement.

I have my own "Anti Billy Blogger" that has been dogging me for months - he shows up everywhere I go and carries a banner trying to turn people against me. My main two competitors have joined forces with him trying to fan the flames on anything "Anti Billy".

One of my two main competitors has taken $4,800 from the Casino just west of Joplin and the other one has taken $2,600 from casinos in St. Louis and K.C. (Bus Driver's note: not true, easily checked)

I have not asked for and will not accept money from any gambling interest.

One of the two main competitors did a phone poll last week and if you said "undecided but leaning towards Long" the callers response was "well if you knew Billy was a Professional Gambler and has made his living the last several years off his winnings would you feel any different about him?" (redacted) I had a supporter's Mom get one of these calls and she made him repeat it three times which he did, she was totally outraged at their behavior and couldn't believe her ears. (bus driver's note: Billy also did phone calls.)

That's how low they've sunk already in this race. If you analyze it they didn't lie - they never said I was a Professional gambler and that's how I've made my living - they just ask "well if you knew..."

10 months ago a staunch anti gambling area resident said he wanted to support me but had heard I hosted "High Stakes Poker Games" in my home on a regular basis. I said "do you want me to lie to you or do you want the truth?" He opted for the truth so I said "well the truth is the last time I hosted any poker game in my house or anywhere else was OVER THIRTY YEARS AGO WHEN I LIVED AT HOME and Dad and I would have some friends over every week or two for a 25 cent - 50 cent poker game.
(bus driver's note: too bad the 'staunch anti-gambling resident didn't ask if Billy played "High Stakes Poker Games"(see player 116)
This blogger has filed two frivolous complaints against me with the Federal Election Commission in D.C. One was throw out without being investigated and the other soon will be but I just got a bill from my Attorney of $1,400 for answering his frivolous charges. However now his frivolous ethics complaints have now become "Billy Long's Ethics PROBLEMS" - so when people hear that they automatically think I have real ethical issues.

I played zero poker for thirty years and about three years ago I started playing occasionally in friendly poker games in two friends homes. Their Wives would fix something to eat and we'd play cards. I was never embarrassed or ashamed of this but when I started running for office I just thought it would be better not to play anymore. (bus driver's note: While Long may have not played poker at his house for 30 years, and only at two friends' house for three years, On line records from Card Player, The Poker Authority show a player named Billy Long participated in games on 12/10/2003 (won $300), 12/20/2003 (won $325) and 07/10/2008 (won $15,600).

On a fishing trip to Louisiana a year ago January they were holding a nationally televised poker tournament at a hotel in Mississippi which was on my way to my buddies house. I paid $265 to enter a small tournament and won a $1,000 token (no cash value) to play in another tournament where I won a $10,000 token (no cash value) to play in the main event. I played in that the next day and lost - collected no money and went on to my buddies place for the deep sea fishing. So my $265 dollars bought me a lot of fun and entertainment butting heads with some Pro Players. However when the story is told "Billy paid $10,000 CASH to support his out of control gambling habit". I told the blogger in person exactly how it works but he swears I'm lying - I could tell him the Sun was coming up in the east tomorrow and he'd swear I was lying. (bus driver's notes: Is this what he is talking about? Event #8 - No Limit Hold'em Championship at the end of day 1, Long was 69 out of 70)

The last poker tournament I played is was a benefit tournament for the "No Kill Animal Shelter" at Springfield's Millwood Country Club about three months ago and I played in it to support the shelter. (bus driver notes: This may be true, if you are only speaking about poker tournaments. Reliable sources have seen Long at the Downstream casino, an establishment that hosts poker games) As Mark Twain one said "my demise has been greatly exaggerated" and for me "my Gambling Habits have been greatly exaggerated".

I've rambled longer than I intended but I'd still like to set down at your convenience and give your more Fact vs Fiction stories that are going around concerning this issue.

When I was in D.C. this week one of the biggest lobbyists up there (who has endorsed Nodler) made sure he emailed the anti-Billy blog information to everyone we were meeting with. However for the most part (like 95 percent of the time) it's actually helped us as people can see through their tactics and are appalled at how low they can go with all this stuff.

Thanks, Billy

Call and we'll do coffee.... there's more. 417.839.0061 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 417.839.0061

*In early January, 2009, Long participated in The World Poker Tour - Southern Poker Championship - Main Event. He was sat at table 28, seat 4 and ended the day with 33,850 chip count.

I found this without looking too hard.

"It's nothing more to me than a way to relax." Don't piss on my leg and tell me it's raining.

But wait, there's more!