Fortunately, his prospects don't look too good, given that polls place him with only 3% of the likely vote in Connecticut's three-way battle for Joe Lieberman's Senate seat. But even those 3% should reconsider: GOP candidate Alan Schlesinger's gambling habits prove that he is an unacceptable ethical risk.

It's not that he likes to gamble, mind you. There is nothing inherently unethical about gambling for recreation if one can afford it, and if one does it responsibly and legally, just as there's nothing unethical about drinking alcohol. But Schlesinger is an unethical gambler:

• He avoids his debts. Two casinos had to sue him in the past for unpaid gambling debts, and he ultimately settled.
• He gambled at a casino under a false name ("Alan Gold").
• He cheats. Schlesinger admits that he has repeatedly been tossed out of Foxwoods casino for card-counting at blackjack. The Connecticut casino, like most casinos, prohibits card-counting, which is a technique that significantly takes the advantage away from the dealer. Gamblers argue that card-counting shouldn't be prohibited, and they have a good argument, but it doesn't matter. Casinos have a right to set the rules by which you must play their games. If you don't like the rules, you don't have to play. Breaking the rules to gain an advantage, which is what Schlesinger is admitting when he confirms that he is a card-counter, is cheating. The fact that one feels that a rule is unfair or should be changed doesn't make trying to surreptitiously violate it any less unethical.

These are not the gaming habits of an ethical and trustworthy man. Moreover, Schlesinger's position, "I didn't do anything illegal!" is the well-recognized call of the unethical politician, and it should cause alarm bells to begin sounding for every voter who isn't a supporter of the Tom DeLay school of politics. It isn't illegal to hide your identity, but it is deceptive. It isn't illegal to try to avoid paying your gambling losses, but it is strong evidence of a lack of integrity and trustworthiness. It isn't illegal to use forbidden tactics in a casino; it's just the conduct of someone who will break the rules if they think they can get away with it.

Connecticut's Republican Party should be ashamed to put a candidate like Alan Schlesinger on the ballot for high office. He's demonstrated that can't be trusted at a blackjack table. How dare they suggest that he can be trusted in the U.S. Senate?