The Politico reports that the Christian Coalition is objecting to billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson's smear group Freedom's Watch. They write:

The Christian Coalition takes issue with Adelson, who made billions
-- he's the country's fifteenth-richest man, according to this year's
Forbes 400 list -- in the casino business, with properties in Las Vegas
and Macau. The Venetian Macau is what sticks in the craw of social
conservatives. "Where Adelson has placed his treasure makes it quite
clear where his heart is: in gambling and in backing the regime in
China that persecutes Christians," Alabama Christian Coalition
president Randy Brinson said in a statement.

The coalition also invokes disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who
helped Native American tribes get approval for new casinos, often
aiding his clients by funneling money to Christian organizations that
would then rally in opposition to other tribes' efforts. "We're tired
of the Abramoffs and Adelsons of this world using their ill-gotten
gains to try to buy elections and influence," Brinson said.

Freedom's Watch recently aired an ad attacking a Democratic candidate in Alabama. The candidate invoked his Christian religion as part of his defense.

Conservative feud in the works.

John McCain is a busy man. But he is making time to meet with Sheldon Adelson, the top funder of Freedoms Watch and other "independent" groups this Friday in Aspen, Colorado. Aspen Daily News has the story:

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is coming back to Aspen on Aug. 14 and this time he is bringing his heavy hitters with him.

Some of the biggest fundraisers for McCain's Republican presidential campaign will be here a week from Thursday for a reception, dinner and campaign briefing with the candidate, according to sources inside the campaign and the National Journal, a weekly political magazine.

...included on the fundraisers list are Las Vegas moguls Stephen Wynn, CEO of Mirage Resorts Inc., and Sheldon Adelson, CEO of Las Vegas Sands Corp.

The meeting raises important questions:

1. Are groups Adelson is funding really independent from the McCain campaign?

2. Will Adelson use information provided to him by the McCain campaign in private strategy meetings to influence how Freedom's Watch and other groups he finances promote McCain and attack Obama?

More on Sheldon Adelson, the 12th richest person in the world, here.