You’d be hard-pressed to find another state law and initiative that has been botched the way the rollout of the casino gambling law has been.
From voters negating lawmakers’ intent by rejecting casinos in their midst to a headless Gaming Commission making decisions on the most important license in the state, the process may loosely resemble sausage-making but the product just tastes awful. About the only commonality with making the meat-stuffed tubes is the butchery involved.
Conflicts of interest seem to be the theme of the day after Gaming Commission chairman Stephen Crosby recused himself from being involved in the process of awarding the Boston-area license after the Boston Globe reported his attendance at a Kentucky Derby party at Suffolk Downs , which, coincidently, is vying to be the landlord for – wait for it – the Boston-area casino licensee. Crosby initially saw no problem with paying his own way to the party as head of the Racing Commission and his statement as he stepped away was replete with defensive swipes at critics and a hardened stance that he was recusing himself not because he did anything wrong but because it was becoming a distraction. Those running for governor, as well as the current governor, who appointed Crosby, disagree .
It’s not unlike Crosby’s defense of his former business relationship with one of the owners of the land in Everett where Wynn Enterprises is looking to plant a destination hotel-casino. Not only was Crosby’s one-time partnership deemed problematic by many observers, the fact an alleged Mob figure was part-owner of the property is under investigation by the state.
The latest head-scratcher came yesterday when the Globe‘s Andrea Estes reported that Supreme Judicial Court Justice Robert Cordy had, as a private lawyer, represented Suffolk Downs and some other entities years ago trying to get a slots parlor at the East Boston racetrack and out in Holyoke. The SJC is considering a challenge to Attorney General Martha Coakley‘s decision not to place a referendum on the ballot this November to overturn the gaming law. Cordy, who had some of the most challenging questions for the group pushing the referendum, did not disclose his past ties to Suffolk Downs or his past work as an advisor to former Gov. William Weld, who is representing Wynn Enterprises before the Gaming Commission. Cordy, through a court spokeswoman, says he will not recuse himself from the decision. Unlike most other state officials, judges are not required to file disclosures about potential conflicts and a decision to recuse themselves is up to them.
Looking to cut off any questions of impropriety, Warren Tolman, who is running for attorney general, the official charged with overseeing enforcement of the gaming laws, told WCVB’s Janet Wu he has divested himself of a 40 percent interest in a gaming company that markets technology to entice young people to gamble. It was a quick turn-around for the one-time lawmaker after the Globe reported less than three weeks ago about his interest. By the way, Tolman’s brother Steven Tolman is the president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, which strongly supports casino gambling for the construction jobs.
And then there’s Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, who last week lost his bid to win host status for the city for both the Everett and the Revere casinos even though they are in… Everett and Revere. Walsh wanted Charlestown and East Boston to be able to vote on the plans.
But it was not known until last week’s Gaming Commission vote that Mohegan Sun, which will build and run the casino, had a deal in the lease provision that the owners of Suffolk Downs could turn management of the racetrack over to the casino developer. The gaming commission was aware of the provision but made no public mention of it before. Mohegan Sun and Suffolk Downs dropped the clause because, had it remained, it would have given Walsh fodder for his claim for host status. He’s still considering his options, including a suit, an option the Boston Herald cautions is playing against stacked odds.
Sausage, anyone?
–JACK SULLIVAN
BEACON HILL
The Associated Press does a scrub of lobbying campaign contributions and finds that the most money goes to the most powerful people on Beacon Hill.
Some court observers say a proposed pay hike for judges could spur a flood of 30 or more on the bench to take retirement because of the boost in pensions it would bring, a mass exodus that could clog the courts with an increased backlog of cases.
MUNICIPAL MATTERS
A new report says Boston’s young men of color are often impoverished, face hurdles in hiring and education, and about half were raised by grandparents. The report, commissioned by the Black and Latino Collaborative, calls on city officials to consider racial and economic demographics when planning housing, schools, and transportation.
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh is making a name for himself — replacing his moniker for his predecessor Tom Menino‘s on hundreds of signs around the city.
CASINOS
The Globe’s Yvonne Abraham debunks the notion that voters voting down casinos would send a negative message about the state’s business climate by quoting three of the biggest supporters of the anti-casino ballot measure.
NATIONAL POLITICS/WASHINGTON
The FCC grapples with the public fallout from tinkering with net neutrality — higher bills, the New York Times reports.
Chicago ‘s pension mess looms over Mayor Rahm Emanuel‘s reelection bid.
ELECTIONS
The Globe focuses on Seth Moulton, the Harvard-educated Iraq war veteran looking to unseat US Rep. John Tierney in the Democrat primary.
BUSINESS/ECONOMY
A model for equity and middle class success: How “cuddly capitalism” works in the Nordic countries where health care child care and elder care are free.
EDUCATION
A Northampton educator who is an outspoken foe of standardized “high stakes” testing has been elected president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association.
The New York Times rounds up obstacles standing in the way of collaboration between charter and district schools.
HEALTH CARE
Some ambulance companies around the state are pushing a measure that would allow paramedics to treat someone at home without necessarily making the mandated trip to the hospital, a move they say could reduce costs.
TRANSPORTATION
The Herald puts the state’s bridge backlog at $12.2 billion, and casts the figure against November’s ballot question to repeal gas tax indexing.
ENERGY/ENVIRONMENT
Kingston Board of Health officials are looking to write a regulation for wind turbine flicker.
State environmental police foil eel poachers in Falmouth.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Even those tasked with cleaning up the hiring favoritism at the Probation Department got caught up in using their connections, CommonWealth reports.
MEDIA
Chronicle of Philanthropy has an in-depth look at the organizational, financial, and competitive challenges facing incoming NPR chief Jarl Mohn.