Facts standing in the way of a Mashpee Wampanoag casino in Taunton

Governor Deval “I don’t count every check”Patrick with the help of his casino point man Stan “no comment” McGee, along with Mashpee Wampanoag Chairman Cedric “crush the competition” Cromwell and Taunton Mayor Tom “no due diligence required” Hoye are all publicly pushing the inevitability of an Indian casino in Taunton, Massachusetts.   Much news with glowing headlines is being promoted by the Tribe claiming “wins” and momentum behind their campaign for a reservation casino complex.  

Here are a few facts to keep in mind before anybody starts cashing Wampanoag-Genting casino checks:

1.    Land in Trust (LIT) – the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe’s application to create an “off reservation” casino in Taunton for the purposes of gaming must first be approved by the Department of Interior, Bureau for Indian Affairs (BIA).  Federal law (Title 25 part CFR 151.3) specifically notes:

“Land not held in trust or restricted status may only be acquired for an individual Indian or a tribe in trust status when such acquisition is authorized by an act of Congress. No acquisition of land in trust status, including a transfer of land already held in trust or restricted status, shall be valid unless the acquisition is approved by the Secretary.”

The recent “win” proclaimed by the Tribe for NICG approval of their amended tribal gaming ordinance specifically noted (something Mr. Cromwell failed to include in his proclamation) that the approval was moot absent the Tribe’s success in getting LIT approved.  Requirements from BIA are not simple and failure on any single item can cause the Tribe’s LIT application to be rejected.  Just a few of the hurdles for the Mashpee Wampanoag LIT application include:

a.    Carcieri v. Salazar – this Supreme Court decision requires that an Act of Congress change current law to allow for tribes, like the Wampanoag, which weren’t recognized prior to 1934 to get land-in-trust reservations.  No such bill to “fix Carcieri” is up for consideration in 2012 and multiple-influential sitting U.S. senators have publicly stated they will block any attempt to pass such legislation. 

BIA allows for very limited exceptions to the Carcieri ruling in approving applications for land in trust for the purposes of gaming.  These include “off reservation” and “equal footing” exceptions.  The Wampanoag Tribe is seeking an “equal footing exemption” to the Carcieri ruling with their off reservation site.   According to a recent notification by the Secretary of the Interior, both exceptions application processes are “lengthy and deliberate,” are “granted rarely” and required additional scrutiny.  Fewer than half of such applications are approved.  Never has an “off reservation” location been granted solely under the “equal footing” exemption being sought by the Mashpee Wampanoag.

b.    Ability to self-govern – the BIA will review and make a determination as to the Tribe and tribal leadership’s ability to effectively self-govern prior to granting them land in trust for gaming purposes.  The Tribe is hampered here on multiple fronts.  The City of Taunton’s IGA with the Tribe calls for payments-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) tied to net casino slot revenues.  Such payments tied to income of a casino have been determined to convey a propriety interest and violate the governing sovereignty of a tribe by the BIA and federal courts.  BIA will not approve a LIT based on an IGA which infringes on a tribe’s ability to self-govern.   Further, the Tribe commissioned a study from Harvard University to assess their ability to govern.  While Cedric Cromwell has tried to hide this study (along with his own personal history of loan, utility bill and tax defaults), the Harvard study results released this year found that the current leadership and tribal government lacked systems and transparency to convey legitimacy in their governance. 

c.    Environmental impact study – this allows for bordering communities and others with a stake in the Taunton River watershed to oppose the casino’s impact - including the conveyance of “super water rights” to the Mashpee Wampanoag who will use an estimated 250 million gallons of water per year for their resort complex – to weigh in and block BIA approval.

d.   Economic impact report – BIA requires impact on any state or local political subdivisions be addressed.  BIA has never approved an exception to Carcieri LIT application opposed by an impacted state or local government.  The State of Rhode Island started conducting economic impact studies as soon as Massachusetts legislation authorizing and giving exclusive rights to an Indian casino for Southeastern Massachusetts was being considered.  The results of the first of the Rhode Island studies were published last week and found significant negative impacts to existing employment and Rhode Island’s Narragansett Indian Tribe economic opportunities.  Elected officials in communities surrounding Taunton who requested to be included in the impact and review process and were shut out of IGA negotiations between the City and Tribe will now be able to submit concerns to BIA.

e.    Surrounding community impact – the Secretary will review and ensure that any proposed gaming establishment will not be detrimental to surrounding communities.  Any impact on social structure, infrastructure, services, housing, community character and land use in surrounding communities must be addressed including costs and corresponding revenue sources to mitigate them.  A study on the impact to Taunton schools alone shows the IGA having a $500,000 annual deficit in mitigating increased cost to public schools associated with the Wampanoag casino proposal.

f.     Off reservation acquisitions – for off reservation LIT applications the secretary must consider conflicts of land use restrictions (i.e., the current deed restriction for the proposed casino property) and distance from the Tribe’s reservation (Town of Mashpee) with greater scrutiny given the further from the Tribe’s boundaries (as noted, Taunton is over 50 miles from the Tribe’s Mashpee core governmental function offices). 

g.    Significant historical & current ties requirement – the Mashpee Wampanoag’s historical ties to Taunton have been challenged by the Pocasset Wampanoag Tribe and expert historians.  The Tribe has provided no evidence of historical ties other than alluding to “secret” documents held by the current Tribal Council, but not available to other Tribe members.  As to current ties, the Mashpee Tribe’s own federal recognition application and current tribal enrollment ordinances specifically delineate the tribe’s boundaries as within 25 miles of the Town of Mashpee.  The proposed Taunton site is more than 50 miles from Mashpee.

h.   Other Tribes’ historical connection to the land – BIA has never granted a LIT application where other tribes have territorial claim to the land being sought.  The Pocasset Wampanoag Tribe has already announced their opposition citing their historical ties and claims to Taunton.

i.     Town of Mashpee opposition – The Town of Mashpee, where the main tribal reservation and offices are located, must also submit a letter of approval and consent.  Mashpee officials opposed the last LIT application by the tribe after reviewing and finding the Tribe had made false statements about agreements with the town.   The Tribe currently has tax related disputes with the Town of Mashpee and other concerns about their local plans.

j.     State of Rhode Island opposition –  Rhode Island elected officials, including the Governor and state's two U.S. senators have started the process of research gathering to block the BIA approval by demonstrating negative economic impact to existing casinos and development at Twin Rivers and to the Narragansett Tribe.

k.    Concurrence of the Governor (of Massachusetts) -  Once all of this lengthy process – estimated to be a minimum of three to five years and taking as many as 15 years  - is completed with a favorable determination, the Governor of the state must then concur.  Since this request for concurrence can only come with a final determination by the Secretary of the Interior and after the affirmative vote by Congress, the likelihood that friend of the Tribe Governor Deval Patrick will still be serving is nil.  By the time this hits, existing state commercial casino interests will certainly have padded the campaign payrolls sufficiently to ensure no competition crushing Indian casino which pays no taxes or fees will be approved by the next sitting governor.

2.    Deed restrictions for property in Taunton -  A group of Taunton taxpayers are suing to block the deal based on the covenant deed restrictions for the proposed site which require the land be used only for "corporate headquarters, manufacturing, processing, wholesaling, distribution and jobbing or warehousing." Retail outlets and cafeterias are only permitted as "accessory uses."

3.    Commonwealth of Massachusetts Indian Casino Compact with the Tribe – This compact must be negotiated and approved by the legislature prior to July 31, 2012.   Several legislators are already unhappy with how the Governor is managing diligence with the Gaming Commission regarding the Stan McGee child sex scandal – yet, McGee remains the Governor’s Indian gaming point man who is the chief architect of the Wampanoag compact.  The longer legislators are forced to wait to see this back room cut deal, the greater likelihood it will face opposition and delays.

4.    Massachusetts Gaming Commission July 31, 2012 deadline – The commission must determine that the Tribe has a reasonable likelihood of getting federal approval for land in trust.  The Boston Globe has characterized this noting “the Tribe has immense obstacles to overcome to win federal approval for a tribal casino.”  Given the above noted hurdles and clearly articulated challenges, such a determination by the Commission would be viewed as highly unreasonable by any independent review and subject to legal challenge. 

5.      Other delaying legal actions:

a.    Town of Middleborough – Middleboro officials have sent letters of opposition to the Commonwealth and BIA opposing the Mashpee Wampanoag proposal, and they have announced they are preparing to pursue legal options to block the Tribe’s casino development efforts claiming a breach of contract with the Town.

b.    KG Urban Enterprises – This competing commercial casino developer has filed suit with an appeal pending claiming the regional tribal preference is unconstitutional.

c.    Aquinnah Wampanoag – The Martha’s Vineyard based tribe is planning multiple lawsuits to block the state from moving forward with any gaming after being shut-out of casino compact negotiations by Governor Patrick.

So what does this all mean?  Voting yes on Saturday simply dooms Taunton to a protracted march alongside the fated Mashpee Wampanoag, tying up City resources and locking in lands which could otherwise be used to generate taxes for the city and real jobs for area residents.  Vote no.

Wampa World Water – Can Taunton fill the need?

Unlike other proposed casino complexes in Massachusetts, the recently unveiled plans for Taunton present a significantly different environmental impact profile.  Mashpee Wampanoag council chair Cedric "Pay no Taxes" Cromwell promises a massive indoor and outdoor water park along side of his planned casino resort complex with three hotels (nearly 1,000 rooms) multiple  restaurants, bars, a “New Hampshire style” liquor store and shopping mall.    

The Wampanoag claim they have an environmental impact study underway; however, residents are being asked to vote on the casino issue and the town is negotiating a compact before that study will be made available and the potential cost burdens this Indian reservation casino resort complex will have on the area's infrastructure and environment.  The impact of this resort casino, hotels, restaurants and water park on local water use and treatment alone will be huge for Bristol County.

According to the latest state government report, Southeastern Massachusetts is under “severe drought” conditions.  Bristol County residents have been under water use restrictions each summer for several years now.   How will Cathal O’Brian and Taunton Water address this new demand?   What will the burden be on infrastructure for treating the casino’s waste water?  How will this new draw impact neighboring communities who share our water sources needs?  

While any potential agreement between the City of Taunton and the Mashpee Wampanoag must fully account for water use and treatment costs, other factors also need to be included: the neighboring communities’ costs, risks to local firefighting capacity, environmental impacts and additional water restriction burdens on the people in the region should be equally addressed.

According to industry standards, hotels typically use between 36,000 and 73,000 gallons of water per room/year.  So, Cedric’s three hotels alone could draw down 66 million gallons of Taunton-area water.   Hotel & Leisure Advisors reports that a typical indoor only (Cedric promises and indoor and outdoor water park) park requires 50 million gallons to fill, then uses between 125,000 and 160,000 gallons per day (that’s 46 to 58 million gallons per year).   Using standard calculations for casino, restaurant, bar and shopping space water usage the proposed Wampanoag gaming complex, bars and restaurants would conservatively use another 200,000 gallons of water per day or 74 million gallons per year.

The combined annual water draw down from the area’s water supplies and corresponding waste water output from the Taunton Wampanoag casino resort complex would be in excess of 250 million gallons per year.   To put that into context, the average single family household of four uses 60, 000 gallons per year – thus the casino will have the water impact of adding another 4,000 single family homes.

The City of Taunton, Massachusetts draws its drinking water from six reservoirs: Assowampsett; Elders; Long; Poksha; Great Quittacas; and Little Quittacas.  Taunton shares this water with Lakeville, Middleborough, Freetown and Rochester.  The Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs report on Sustainable Water Initiatives, published in February 2012, details the water challenges for the state and for Taunton.  This report, coupled with the current "severe drought" status of the region, spells out real challenges for Bristol County with the proposed Indian casino resort complex.

To ensure regional, not just Taunton residents, aren’t unfairly penalized for the infrastructure costs and new water demands that will stretch the region’s already limited capacity the City should review and revise their commercial water rate schedule for this project, as even a high commercial rate of $10 per 1,000 gallons will not likely cover the resulting costs.  Other commercial rate payers also pay state and local taxes which are used to support area infrastructure – the Indian reservation casino complex will pay no such taxes and their utility rates should reflect that disparity.

Finally, what assurances will Taunton have that the Wampanoag casino will be able to pay increasing water and other utility costs when other established Indian casinos in our region are now in massive debt and tribe members are seeking assistance to pay their utility bills?  Does anyone really think an Indian casino in Massachusetts will be any different.

Casino impact on Taunton neighbors: Berkley, Dighton, Raynham, Lakeville, Middleboro and Norton

The Berkley, MA town selectmen are asking Taunton Mayor Tom Hoye to include them in impact studies and negotiations with the Mashpee Wampanoag and their plans to build a mega-casino Indian reservation resort complex in East Taunton.  Berkley recognizes that Taunton will not be the only impacted community.  Are the other neighboring communities of Dighton, Raynham, Lakeville, Middleboro and Norton also preparing?

Well documented independent research from respected, non-casinofunded sources clearly shows neighboring communities also suffer from increase crime, traffic and others costs with casino gaming developments.  Casino promoters claim "mixed" data proves the casinos are not the cause, but reductions in murder rates while clearly casino-linked crimes like rape, assaults, car thefts, robberies and DUIs increased are easily measured.    Studies of casinos in suburban areas similarly show a corresponding loss in property values based on residential proximity to a casino.  The casino promoters only talk about studies done on remote location casinos where property values started at zero.  These property value losses can be measured miles beyond the borders of the towns in which the casinos are located.

Take the case of the small community of Ledyard, Connecticut.  Their downtown center is located about five miles from the Foxwoods Indian Casino resort complex.  Ledyard conducted a study of the impact andcosts they bear as a neighbor to the destination resort casino – similar to the one proposed for Taunton by the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe – and found the following results:

• 24 hour a day traffic increases resulting in increased traffic control and road maintenance
• Increased motor vehicle accidents resulting in the need for more police enforcement and emergency response
• Increased drunk driving (DUI) incidents – which they note, now occur at the highest frequency rate of any location in the state – with corresponding police and emergency medical service response costs

Ledyard could directly quantify the costs of these new burdens by comparing their costs and incidence rates in previous years.  In addition to what the town characterizes as serious negative impacts on their quality of life of residents, they could attribute more than $2.2 million in direct additional costs to the town annually.  The broke them down as follows:

Expense area	Cost to town
Crime	$336,084
Social Services/ Assistance	$5,098
Legal expenses (lawsuit with tribe over attempted annexation of town land)	$370,000
Local roads and bridges	$1,200,000
Zoning enforcement	$49,864
Public safety & traffic	$260,930
Total 2000-2001 costs incurred:	$2,221,976

Ledyard further noted annual erosion in their property tax base concurrent with the casino development and annexation of previously taxed lands for the purposes of expanding the Pequot Indian reservation.

The town acknowledges that the casino has brought new jobs to the region, but notes that the majority created were in the low $15,000 to $25,000 per year range. They noted that the low paying jobs and increase problem gambling associated with the casino proximity were linked to a significant rise in demand for local social services and general assistance programs.

In addition to moving from one of the lowest DUI rates to the highest in the state, Ledyard experienced a 300 percent increase in local crime rates.  This increase happened during the same time when crime rates outside of the casino region in Connecticut declined by 11 percent.

Ledyard also saw a 200 percent increase in traffic on local roads.  They note that casino customers are using local roads at significantly higher rates than the state highways which had been touted in initial impact plans as bearing the majority of the traffic burdens.  They further noted that the increased cars and trucks were not contributing to a corresponding increase in visits to Ledyard businesses, but was simply through traffic to the casino complex.

And, Ledyard noted that because Foxwoods was an Indian casino, that the construction process circumvented all local zoning, public hearing requirements and environmental regulations for which the town then incurred significant legal costs to protect their citizen’s interest throughout the development, building, ongoing operation and expansion process.

Taunton will not be the only place that needs to negotiate with the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe to make sure their costs don’t outweigh the promised benefits of bringing a free from local jurisdiction and tax exempt Indian reservation casino resort complex to their community.  Will the impacted citizens and businesses in Dighton, Raynham, Lakeville, Middleboro and Norton have any say or control?

Wampanoags on the war path over casino land dispute

“To reservation-shop in somebody else’s ancestral territory? That’s just ridiculous. Back in the day there’d be war if you come into somebody else’s land. Right? We’d fight over stuff like that.’’

- Daryl Black Eagle Jamieson, Pocasset Wampanoag Tribe Vice Chairman.

Middleboro Remembers provides great insights today into reports that Masphee Wampanoag attempts to extend their reach into Taunton violate Pocasset ancestral rights.  The Boston Globe's Mark Arsenault similarly details the latest in a long string of gaffes by the Malaysian-gaming syndicate backed Mashpee tribal council in their quest for casino gold.  Bottom line, Taunton can anticipated even longer delays, lawsuits and black eyes associated with hopes for jobs and any far-fetched economic upsides to locating an Indian reservation casino in town.

The territorial challenge to the Mashpee Wampanoag will be hard to beat back given that their own Mashpee tribal membership ordinances have geographically defined residency requirements that excludes anyone who lives more than 20 miles away from Mashpee from being able to claim they are a Mashpee Wampanoag.  Of course, the tribe's own council chairman Cedric Cromwell didn't follow this ordinance - he lived in Attleboro when he "found" his Indian roots in 2006.

Taunton is 50 miles away from Masphee - well outside their own defined territorial boundaries - but less than 20 miles from the Pocasset headquarters and well within their historically defined boundaries.  Sadly, the Pocasset lack federal recognition and the Masphee have a very bad history of playing well with others so any compromise is unlikely.  Regardless, existing federal laws will block the Masphee from moving forward anytime in the near future.  Don't hold your breath Taunton, your wild ride with the Mashpee tribe is only just beginning. 

Residents of Taunton aren't even eligible to be members of Mashpee Wampanoag .

Proposed Wampanoag casino borders local elementary school

The Mashpee Wampanoag-proposed Indian reservation (no local laws apply) mega-complex gambling resort literally borders the East Taunton Elementary School and another dozen public, catholic and private schools are all less than ten miles from the site.

Are Bristol County and Taunton educators prepared for the onslaught of casino gambling and its impact on the children?  Taunton citizens will vote on June 3^rd on a non-binding referendum which some local politicians will use as cover to allow the development of a massive casino resort complex planned by the Mashpee Wampanoag Indian tribe.  

While the politicians, lobbyists and casino gaming interests prepare for their paydays – parents and concerned citizens need to consider the real and serious costs we’ll face.

Forget the issues of increased traffic, crime and other problems which come hand-in-glove with the creation of an Indian reservation casino complex in Taunton.  Are the teachers, parents and students ready to address the increased risks this poses to children? 

Are the Taunton School Committee and superintendent Julie Hackett preparing curricula and training staff to identify and address gambling related problems which increase in children when a casino is part of their community?  How will the Arch Diocese and independent schools prepare for this problem?

Based on research, evidence and experiences from other locales where casino gambling was introduced, we will see real problems for Taunton area kids:

• Three out of every 30 children will be harmed by gambling addiction. 
• Children exposed to gambling are at two to four times higher risks than adults of becoming problem gamblers. 
• We can expect to see increased incidents of abuse and abandonment which rise associated with the establishment of casinos. 
• Casinos are associated with increased school dropout rates, drug and alcohol abuse and youth crime.
• And, casino gambling is also associated with increased youth suicide rates.

Will Dr. Hackett take a policy stand to limit casino cash influence on the local schools as is recommended by groups like NCAGE and  NCALG? 

  

Town streets will be littered with billboards and advertisements, casino buses and other constant reminders for our kids of the gambling activities on the other side of their school playgrounds and parks.

To make matters even worse, the casino proposed for Taunton will be an Indian reservation gaming resort complex.  This means hotels, 24 hour bars and restaurants, shops and other attractions – many of which will be open to those under the age of 18 – in addition to the casino.  Town ordinances, state and even federal laws protecting children DO NOT APPLY on Indian reservations.  Only the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, which has a sole focus on getting cash out of Taunton and no other ties to the local community, will have jurisdiction and legal authority to govern what happens on their reservation.

Tribal elders, traditionalists seek to oust Cedric Cromwell for financial abuses

Thousands of dollars in credit card expenses for limousines and country club meals lobbying for casino cash by Cedric Cromwell has Mashpee Wampanoag tribe members seething!  Other financial records are still being kept secret from the tribe with members complaining to the feds demanding an investigation and are calling for Crush the Competition Cromwell's ouster.

Meanwhile Cromwell is being accused of attempting to change the Mashpee Wampanoag charter to privatize the tribe and lock in his ownership of any potential future casino cash in cahoots with his Malaysian gambling syndicate partners at Genting.  Perhaps he'll have a place on the board for Governor Patrick and Senator Therese Murray for all their assistance.

ReelWamps tells the story here: http://reelwamps.com/archives/traditionalists-plan-ouster-of-cromwell-administration

Petition to the Commonwealth on casino funds and terrorism

In the Commonwealth of Massachusetts legislators are passing a casino gaming bill which gives special preferences to the Genting Group of Malaysia to open a casino in partnership with the Mashpee band of Wampanoag Indians. By federal law, this casino will not be regulated by the state, it will pay no taxes or fees to the U.S., Massachusetts or any local community government in which it is located. Its financial dealings and records will be sovereign to the Wampanoag tribe and Genting and kept secret from all U.S. governmental regulators and oversight.

The progressive Florida Clarion reports that a U.S. Senate Committee found a disturbing pattern by Genting and its chairman of multi-million dollar payments to Islamic extremist organizations, business affiliations with reputed Chinese Triad organized crime and affiliations with at least two individuals wanted by the United States for terrorist activities.

Executives for Genting’s told the U.S. Senate Committee that these were “necessary” payments and relationships for Chinese investors doing business in heavily Islamic Malaysia. Surprisingly, U.S. based businesses operating in Malaysia do not feel the need to fund terrorists or engage in business relationships with Chinese Triad organized crime.

It may be necessary for Genting in Malaysia, but does Massachusetts have to facilitate these activities?  

We demand that Massachusetts’ legislature remove language giving special preferences which will allow any foreign interest in taking un-taxed commercial gains out of the country.

  

We demand that Governor Deval Patrick veto any casino enabling legislation which includes such provisions.

  

And, we ask the Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley investigate the funneling of foreign money to campaign contributions through lobbyists given to state elected officials like Senate President Therese Murray to include this language and vote in favor of this special treatment for Genting.

To sign this petition click here:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/prevent-massachusetts-from-funding-terrorists-via-casinos/

Now hiring! Thugs, cut throats, desperados... Contact Cedric Cromwell

"I want rustlers, cut throats, murderers, bounty hunters, desperados, mugs, pugs, thugs, nitwits, halfwits, dimwits, vipers, snipers, con men, Indian agents, Mexican bandits, muggers, buggerers, bushwhackers, hornswogglers, horse thieves, bull dykes, train robbers, bank robbers, @ss-kickers, sh#t-kickers and Methodists."  said Hedley Lamar in Blazing Saddles, but it might as well have been Cedric Cromwell today on WRKO when asked by Tom & Todd whether or not he could form his own "internal army" on his new reservation casino.

The show hosts noted "his face lit up" as Cromwell explained that there would be "border patrol management" and "sovereign police" on his casino reservation complex as their sovereignty as an independent nation within the borders of Massachusetts and the community which turns their land rights over to the tribe.  Of course he would need protection as no state or local police jurisdiction or authority would be recognized.  "Sovereignty is interesting" according to Cedric "crush the competition" Cromwell and he says the Mashpee tribe hasn't decided how they will handle jurisdictional issues.  


So, if you think you have what it takes to be a Mashpee tribal security police officer or border protection agent send your resume to:


Cedric Cromwell, Mashpee Wampanoag Supreme Commander
8 Seanna Road
Attleboro, MA  02703


According to his WRKO interview he plans a full "destination resort" casino with shops, restaurants, cinemas, restaurants, clubs, entertainment venues, bars and, of course "full-blown gaming" which will all need tribal policing, security and apparently border controls.   This will, in Cedric's words "crush the competition" because he won't pay a dime in taxes or fees.  Cedric discussed tax-free cigarette sales, tax-free "New Hampshire style" liquor store.  However, on a good note Cedric pledged to not sell heroine under his leadership (leaving that door open to a successor).


But apparently Cedric won't be happy with just destroying South Shore businesses and culture, he also plans a 85,000 square foot  indoor water park with indoor beaches so visitors won't have to bother leaving the reservation to enjoy Cape beaches where they might accidentally spend a few bucks off the reservation.


While the Wall Street Journal is reporting that East Coast casino jobs and wages are in sharp decline, Cedric claims he'll have 4,500 - 5,000 "reservation" jobs - of course not covered by any federal, state or local labor rules or ordinances.  While workers on other non-Indian gaming operations will have to undergo background checks which can be reviewed by state auditors, no such state oversight or background checks will be needed at Cedric Cromwell's Wampa World.  So, all you thugs, mugs, rustlers and cut throats hanging on the street corners of Providence, New York and Newark pack your bags for Mashpee - there's a no-background check job waiting for you with Cedric's Army.

Wampanoag financial backers a terror funding source?

How sadly ironic as we prepare for the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and its tragic ties to Boston to learn that Massachusetts politicians like Deval Patrick, Therese Murray and Karen Spilka have been taking campaign contributions from lobbyists on the payroll of a Malaysian gambling syndicate interests now accused of funding and associating with Islamic extremist and terrorists on U.S. watch lists - according to a report in the Florida Clarion.


Genting Malaysia, the money behind Cedric Cromwell and the Mashpee Wampanoag casino scheme, is accused by the Clarion investigative report of a disturbing pattern of mult-imillion dollar payments to Islamic extremist organizations and affiliations with individuals and groups on U.S. terrorist watch lists.

"Genting executives told Senate investigators at the time that the millions of dollars funneled to various Islamic extremist organizations known to finance jihad were made under direst and viewed as a cost of doing business for a Chinese businessman in heavily Islam-run Malaysia. Investigators had reason to be skeptical when photos of K.T. Lim and North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il surfaced. The Senate investigators also obtained photos of Lim socializing with at least two Islamic figures wanted by the United States for terrorist activities."


Perhaps Governor Patrick should have been "counting every check" when the Boston Globe reported earlier this year that he'd failed to keep his pledge on casino campaign cash coming from groups lobbying on behalf of the Genting-financed Mashpee Wampanoag.  Therese Murray's "Ca-ching" statements after receiving more money from gaming lobbyists than any other state legislator have a less appealing tone knowing it was Genting cash laundered through the Mashpee Wampanoag and their lobbyists.

Worse than the funding source is Murray and Patrick's proposed, lobbyist written special interest gaming legislation for Massachusetts which turns over control of Southeastern Massachusetts to Genting (the de facto owners of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe since the tribe is now more than $25 million in debt to the Malaysian syndicate).  Genting will take the first slice of any of the un-audited, un-regulated and tax-free casino profits from the Governor's proposed Indian-only gaming zone in Region C.  If past foreign-financed Indian casino schemes are any indicator, Genting will funnel somewhere between $300 to $400 million tax-free a year out of Massachusetts to their Malaysian bank accounts.  The same bank accounts which apparently have been used to get Wampanoag and lobbyist campaign contributions into the hands of Massachusetts politicians while simultaneously giving tens of millions of dollars to extremist groups linked to global terrorism.

Another troubling claim in the report include Genting business links with Chinese organized crime triads.  Under the proposed legislation, the finances and background of all groups seeking gaming licenses in the state will be under investigations to ensure no organized crime or hints of corruption exist.  However,  if the Governor's scheme goes through, the Mashpee Wampanoag will be exempt under federal Indian gaming rules from any state-related background investigations or oversight.  Here is what the Clarion had to say about Genting's organized crime connections:

"Senate investigators were also interested in K.T. Lim’s relationship with Stanley Ho, the Asian casino magnate who has been identified as a member of the Chinese Triad, the Chinese crime organization, by the U.S. Justice Department and by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Ho has been denied a casino license in every jurisdiction except in Macau and North Korea. Genting has refused to address their business dealings with Ho and his company Shun Tak Holdings Ltd."


It doesn't take a a forensic accountant to perform basic due diligence on the Mashpee Wampanoag financiers.  Given the tribe's wretched recent history of convictions on fraud and political corruption charges one would think the Commonwealth's leadership would be paying just the slightest bit of attention to this issue and Genting's history of involvement in Indian gaming in the U.S.  For example, the Clarion reports:

• "Genting made millions of dollars as the money-men behind two controversial Indian Casino gaming developments in the Eastern United States. In both cases, Genting operations were directed by G. Michael Brown, a former New Jersey Attorney General who was later charged with embezzlement and cocaine use...."  Strike One!
  
  
• "Genting was the financier of the Seneca Niagara Casino Hotel in Niagara Falls, New York. Genting charged the tribe an exorbitant 28 percent interest rate, potentially in violation of the Indian Gaming Regulations under the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Genting also stayed in the deal for almost 15 years when they were legally limited to five. Seneca Tribal Council members have testified that armed Chinese thugs showed up to collect Genting’s money when tribal lawyers pointed out that Genting was violating the law..."   Strike Two!

This latest revelation of funding and other ties to terrorists groups should be strike three. All of this is public record information.  Isn't it time we put the breaks on the special interest plans to set-aside Southeastern Massachusetts for any non-transparent, non-tax paying, non-competitive casino development schemes?

Hey Governor Patrick! Are the Globe, Ledger and South Coast Today all wrong?

The Boston Globe, Quincy Patriot Ledger and South Coast Today have all editorialized that the gaming legislation proposed by Governor Deval Patrick and Senator Therese Murray is a flawed special interest give-away that’s a bad deal for the Commonwealth.   Yet this lobbyist written legislative scheme was voted out of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies headed by Senator Karen Spilka (D-Ashland) and Representative Joseph Wagner (D-Chicopee).   It should surprise no one that Senator Spilka and Representative Wagner join Governor Patrick and Senator Murray on the list of top recipients of campaign contributions from lobbyists representing the Indian gaming and slot machine industries.  What is surprising is that so few Senators or Representatives are speaking out against this special interest give-away at the taxpayers’ expense.

What do the local newspapers have to say?

Boston Globe: Casino bill deeply flawed; rank & file should kill it

“Any casino legislation should also provide a level playing field for would-be operators. Instead, under the current proposal, Native American tribes would have a one-year head start for the license designated for Southeastern Massachusetts. It effectively amounts to a no-bid contract for the Mashpee Wampanoag…  carving out a special process for a group with strong lobbying muscle remains problematic. Patrick opposed no-bid contracts in negotiations last year - and shouldn’t have shifted now.”

South Coast Today: Cards stacked against Southeastern Massachusetts

“While western and northern Massachusetts get to start clean in seeking the best option for casinos there, Southeastern Massachusetts will operate with a big handicap: a pledge to allow Indian tribes a year to work out their own deals with partners of their own choosing. And that means the interests of the region as a whole and of everyone who lives here come after the financial interests of the tribes. That's not comforting, especially considering how badly Mashpee Wampanoag tribal leaders treated the town of Middleboro, which they wooed as a mate previously in a plan to land a resort casino, then spurned for another pretty face when Fall River came knocking with a dowry of ready-to-develop acreage that UMass Dartmouth had been promised for the new biotech park the region had been pushing for years. The tribe is thrilled with the gambling bill and wants to do business with a Malaysian company, Genting. The tribe would first have to find land and work out a gaming compact with the governor… In short, if this legislation is approved, Southeastern Massachusetts is left to wait at least a year while the two tribes sort out their legal challenges and the Mashpee tribe tries to convince people that it should be trusted with developing the region's one and only casino… If casino gambling is to be a benefit to Massachusetts, it must do more than send a share of gaming receipts to the state treasury. It must foster growth beyond its own property boundaries or it will do more harm than good. It is hard not to wonder whether or not Patrick, DeLeo and Murray took that into consideration when they locked the doors and made Southeastern Massachusetts play a hand from a deck stacked against it.”

Patriot Ledger: Yes to casino bill, with some changes

“The bill creates a preference for giving an Indian tribe in Southeastern Massachusetts the casino license for the region… The Mashpee Wampanoags have been trying for years to open a casino in Middleboro or elsewhere in Southeastern Massachusetts. Requiring them to acquire land, get clearance from federal authorities and work out a compact with the state by July 31 of next year borders on the impossible. The time limit will almost certainly be challenged in the courts and could delay for years the opening of any casino in Southeastern Massachusetts and perhaps elsewhere in the state. This needs to be changed.”

Change is needed.  It’s time for our elected officials to say where they stand:

Are you for turning over Southeastern Massachusetts’ economic opportunity to a Malaysian gambling syndicate partnered with a corruption-tainted Indian tribe who will pay no taxes or fees, delay job creation and remove local controls over law enforcement and zoning?

Or,

Are you for transparent, regulated, tax-paying developers who can be trusted to enter into legally binding agreements with local communities paying off for the state treasury and jobs as soon as possible?