U.S. Legislator Defends Free Attendance At Boxing Matches

Reid Defends Free Tickets To Boxing Matches

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said that his “free attendance at boxing matches was necessary for him to understand boxing regulations and represent Nevada’s interests,” according to Molly Ball of the LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL. Reid’s comments were in response to accusations that, “in sitting ringside for free at several Las Vegas fights from 2003 to 2005, he improperly took gifts from an agency he was involved in regulating at the time, the Nevada Athletic Commission, which oversees boxing in the state.” But Reid said that his attendance at boxing matches “didn’t violate Senate ethics rules, which say senators ‘should be wary’ of gifts aimed at influencing their votes but don’t prohibit such gifts” (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 5/31). Reid added that the tickets “would never influence his position” on legislation to increase government oversight of the sport and that he was “simply trying to learn how his legislation might affect” the industry (AP, 5/30).