Maryland: Scott Arceneaux

Anti-slots group Marylanders United to Stop Slots is lambasting The Baltimore Sun for its endorsement of November's controversial slots referendum.

"It is frankly a slap in the face to the voters of Maryland and an abdication of its editorial integrity," Scott Arceneaux, senior advisor of Marylanders United to Stop Slots, said in a statement. 

Pro-slots organization For Maryland For Our Future substantially outraised its rival anti-slots group during the last financial period, according to reports filed last week with the State Board of Elections.

For Maryland For Our Future ended the last financial quarter with $558,848.04 cash-on-hand and $3,781,500 in total receipts.

Anti-slots ballot issue committee Marylanders United to Stop Slots ended with $142,896.34 cash-on-hand and $411,053 in total receipts.

The Professional Fire Fighters of Maryland endorsed November's slots referendum on Thursday, according to pro-slots group For Maryland For Our Future. The organization represents the state's 20 affiliated locals of the International Association of Fire Fighters.

"Passing the slots referendum and keeping revenue here in Maryland - when it's already being spent in Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia - is critical to public safety," said Fire Fighters President LeRoy A.

As horseracing fans waited to see Big Brown and his competitors in Saturday's Preakness Stakes, the debate over whether the state should legalize the release of 15,000 slot machines could be felt in the stands at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.

As the Associated Press reported Sunday, about 60 proponents of the November ballot referendum passed out 5,000 T-Shirts before the race that expressed support for slots. While the shirts may have been free, they were still nearly gone by noon.