Just recently Jim Whelan received an additional $800,000 in campaign contributions from Senate President Dick Codey.

At the time, Whelan was trumpeting the support from Codey as a way to deflect attention from the hundreds of thousands he's taken from the Camden County political bosses this year.

But in the last days of this election, now Codey is yet another albatross around Whelan's neck, hanging on top of the Camden County political bosses trying to take over Atlantic County.

Today's Press of Atlantic City reports that Senator Codey wants more video lottery terminals (VLTs) at racetracks throughout New Jersey.

VLTs are a euphemism for slot machines and they will be in direct competition with Atlantic City's casinos.

The study reported in the Press estimates $100 million in annual revenue loss for Atlantic City gaming establishments if VLTs are permitted.

Joe Corbo, president of the Casino Association, said in today's paper, "it would be bad public policy for the state to jeopardize Atlantic City's gaming industry and the billions of dollars in economic benefits it provides 'for the sake of keeping a declining horse-racing industry afloat.'"

We know from last year's disastrous casino shutdown that when it comes to choosing between Atlantic County voters and the political bosses who fund his campaigns, Jim Whelan always sides with the bosses.

So there's little doubt that the $800,000 Codey recently gave to Whelan means that Whelan will side with him on the battle over VLTs.

If that's not true and Whelan is opposed to VLTs, then he owes it to the voters to make another Levyesque public demonstration by returning each and every dollar of Codey's contributions to him immediately.

Such an act would almost certainly put Whelan's campaign deep into debt given the hundreds of thousands being spent on Philadelphia TV.

But what's more important to Whelan? Campaign contributions or the casino jobs that would be lost if VLTs are permitted at racetracks?

I think you already know the answer.