Facing mounting criticism over his recent actions — including an appearance at a party at Suffolk Downs — the chairman of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission removed himself today from the debate over casino proposals in Greater Boston.
Reading from a statement before the start of a public meeting, Stephen P. Crosby said he and the commission regard safeguarding the panel’s integrity as their highest priority. But now, Crosby acknowledged, he had become “a distraction and potential threat to our critical appearance of the total impartiality.”
“Over the past several months, my behavior and judgment concerning the parties to the [Greater Boston] decision has been questioned, sometimes in good faith, sometimes in bad faith,” Crosby said…. “I have decided to recuse myself from any further involvement in any of the issues concerning the licensing decision for [Greater Boston].”
Of course, this means that the Chairman of the Commission can play no role in what seem to be the Commission’s major remaining tasks: sorting out the Marty Walsh/Boston “host community” controversy, and deciding whether Suffolk Downs or Wynn/Everett gets the Boston-area license. Plus, this now raises the possibility of a deadlocked 2-2 vote (remember, the vote to award the slots parlor license to Plainville was 3-2).
Which necessarily leads one to ask whether Crosby is really the right person to be Chairman any longer. If he can’t play any role in the Commission’s biggest remaining tasks, maybe he should make way for someone who can…?
Disclosure: I am part of the Repeal The Casino Deal legal team.
When you have to recuse yourself from the biggest decision the commission has to make, what is the point of being on the commission?!?!?!?!?!
And this all of his own making…another reason why he should resign.
Is there anything about this commission that inspires confidence? We were promised a process that would be the cleanest and most transparent in the country, above board and free from corruption… and we get a commission that’s littered with conflicts of interest, terrible decisions and engaging in shenanigans that bypass the casino law itself in spirit (ie giving Suffolk Downs a second vote so soon after the first), if not by the letters, with open discussion of how the casino law needs to be changed to lower the taxes on the casino developers.
Everything people who were concerned about casinos warned is becoming true — except it’s even worse (and far less competent) than what people expected.
And we haven’t even had a shovel hit the ground yet.
There is nothing about this process that should remain.
There’s no choice at this point but to repeal.
Recuse, Resign and Repeal.
The only marginally successful component of this failed special interest, insider driven corporate monopoly welfare – too little, too late convenience gambling law is that it qualifies as an unmitigated cluster.
Full disclosure: I oppose government partnering with special interests to fatten their coffers at the expense of small businesses, communities and families.
As a person who could not afford to drop $400 on inappropriate tickets to a pro-gambling event if I wanted to, I question the entire make-up of the Commission.
These are people whose wealth will largely insulate them from the negative externalities of gambling. How about some 99%ers reviewing these plans as well?
Since he will not be able to participate in 1 of the 3 site decisions, will the State be cutting his salary by 1/3? Seems only fair. But of course that won’t happen.
This Commission is so bad, over-spending, conflicts of interest and who knows what else we don’t even know about yet. This is just the beginning.
Repeal the Casinos. Anybody who has any sense knows that they will not save the economy. A bad investment for our future.