Omaha Politician Pleads Guilty to Trespassing at Casino

An Omaha politician pleaded guilty this week to trespassing at a Council Bluffs casino after she had pledged to stay away from all Iowa casinos.

Brenda Council, who twice ran for mayor in the 1990s, had signed a pledge generally used by people who want to stop themselves from gambling.

Council was cited for being at Bluffs Run Casino at 2:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 31. She paid a $100 fine for misdemeanor criminal trespass.

According to Assistant City Attorney Don Bauermeister, Council signed the pledge form on July 8, voluntarily banning herself from Iowa casinos. On Aug. 10, Council was warned by staff for showing up at Harrah's Casino.

Council was then spotted on Aug. 31 by security in a cashier's area at Bluffs Run and was cited by Council Bluffs police for trespassing, Bauermeister said.

Council told the Omaha World-Herald that she signed the ban for "personal and family reasons."

She said she doesn't believe she has a gambling problem.