iMEGA asks Ky Supreme Court to Review "Secret Proceedings" in Domain Name Seizure Case

The Interactive Media Entertainment & Gaming Association (iMEGA) asked the Kentucky Supreme Court to review a video tape of the secret proceeding Gov. Beshear’s attorneys used to get property seizure orders for 141 Internet domain names without notifying the property owners or giving them an opportunity for representation.

In a 2-to-1 decision from the commonwealth’s Court of Appeals in January 2009, iMEGA prevailed over Gov. Beshear when a lower court’s seizure orders were blocked. Gov. Beshear wanted to seize these domain names in order to force online gaming firms to block Kentucky residents from using their sites. The not-so-hidden agenda was that this would protect Kentucky’s in-state gambling operations from competition (Can you say Churchill Downs?).

“We’re very confident the State Supreme Court will reach the same conclusion as the Court of Appeals,” said Joe Brennan Jr., chairman of iMEGA. “It’s too bad Gov. Beshear wants to keep fighting, but since he’s not paying for his attorneys, I guess he doesn’t care how long this takes or how much he ties up Kentucky’s courts with this doomed campaign.”