“And the gambling commission is hanging on by the skin of its teeth.”
- Bruce Springsteen, “Atlantic City.”
The Massachusetts gambling commission is just getting started and it is already embroiled in controversey surrounding sexual abuse allegations against the interim head of the agency, who abruptly resigned last night.
Carl Stanley McGee resigned from the gambling commission after mounting criticism about the lack of a background check. McGee was accused of assaulting a 15-year-old boy in the steam room of a Florida resort in 2007. McGee was arrested, but Florida prosecutors eventually declined to press charges. The boy’s family filed a civil lawsuit against McGee, who eventually paid to settle the case. Critics of McGee’s appointment called for the settlement details to be made public.
Beyond the sexual abuse allegations, the appointment of McGee raises troubling questions about the integrity of gambling board, which is charged with vetting casino applicants to ensure against criminal elements and political corruption that has long been associated with gambling. Yet, the gambling commission failed to perform a basic background check of McGee.
Of course, none of this should come as a surprise to those familiar with the casino licesning process in other states. That’s because the awarding of gambling licenses is often more about political connections than insuring integrity of the process or getting it right. Exhibit A: Pennsylvania.
Then-Gov. Ed Rendell’s first pick to head Pennsylvania’s gambling control board resigned amid questions in his background. Former police officer Frank Friel was accused by the Pennsylvania Crime Commission of taking money from a club owner. He denied any wrongdoing and was never charged. Friel later testified that he had earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees when in fact he never graduated.
As an employee for a private security firm, Friel testified in support of a Philadelphia boxing promoter with alleged ties to organized crime who was seeking to hold fights at a Connecticut casino. Initially, Rendell stood by Friel. But after Friel resigned, Rendell blamed the press for digging up dirt on him. Pennsylvania lawmakers failed to learn from that controversey. The state’s gaming commission went on to award casino licenses to two people with past felony convictions. Licenses were also awarded to others with political ties to Rendell and other elected state leaders.
In Massachusetts, McGee was Gov, Deval Patrick’s point man in writing the casino law and getting it passed. His insider status was probably being counted on to help grease the skids for the licensing process. Now the Patrick administration will have to find another hack to do its casino bidding. Unfortunately, there is probably a long line of willing enablers on Beacon Hill.
As lawmakers and residents in Massachusetts grapple with the rocky rollout of casinos there, the goal of the state’s new gambling policy remains unclear.
