Efforts behind Illinois gambling expansion are losing ground at the Capitol as the plan’s new sponsor clashes with Gov. Pat Quinn, and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle angles for a piece of the action.

Rep. Robert Rita, who started shepherding the casino bill in the House last week, angrily disputed comments by the governor’s hand-picked chief gambling regulator, Aaron Jaffe, who suggested Chicago be taken out of the legislation. Rita suggested a separate vote on a Chicago casino would kill gambling expansion.

“Is this (Jaffe’s) comments? Is this the governor? Where did these comments come from,” said Rita, D-Blue Island. “I guess I’d like to know where the governor is on this issue and if the intent is Chicago should be out of this bill, he should say that.”

The gambling bill includes new casinos for Chicago and four other towns plus slot machines at horse racing tracks. On Tuesday, Jaffe, the Illinois Gaming Board chairman, criticized the bill as trying to do too much.

“It’s a Christmas tree bill,” Jaffe told The Associated Press. “You have one political party that is in the governor’s mansion, controlling the Senate, controlling the House. You’re telling me they can’t pass one bill that will give the city of Chicago a casino? That blows my mind.”

Jaffe, a former state lawmaker and judge, did not return a call to respond to Rita’s comments. You can find more about Illinois gambling expansion at the Chicago Tribune