Amazing? Outrageous? Greg Bialecki forced to disclose casino stock ownership and profits

How is it possible in this day and age that government officials promoting plans for any multi-billion dollar industry can simultaneously be buying and holding stock in that industry and think that's OK?

The Boston Globe reports that State Economic Development Secretary Greg Bialecki is holding stock in two Las Vegas casino companies which have expressed interest in Massachusetts casino development projects.  Bialecki is Governor Deval Patrick's point man on pushing through casino gambling enabling legislation in Massachusetts.  Patrick has been similarly been caught taking money from and meeting with casino gaming lobbyists while claiming he wasn't.

This is not a case of another Harvard trust funder (although Bialecki fits that bill too) being unaware of stock holdings he has had for years squirreled away by dear old granddad.  Bialecki purchased these stocks, some $17,000 worth, only last year!  Bialecki is claiming his "financial advisor" made the purchase without his knowledge - right!  Even if that were the doubtful case, Bialecki learned of this egregious conflict of interest last Spring and did nothing.  Right smack in the middle of his negotiating deals and legislation that would create billions of dollars of benefits to the casino industry and he did not sell off these stocks, issue any statement of error nor did he recuse himself from his role on behalf of Governor Patrick.  It was only after he started getting calls from reporters last week alerting him to the fact that he was getting caught that he closed his account and sold the stocks - making a mere 30 percent profit on his one year investment.  Most of us would love to make a 30 percent profit in a year - especially this past year when most stock portfolios have been losing money or eking out single digit profits at best.

Of course most of use aren't high ranking government officials responsible for legislation and special deals that will benefit the companies in which we invest.  We've not yet put a shovel in the ground to create one single job in the Bay State associated with casino development and yet reports of corruption and ethics scandals are tainting the state at the highest levels.  And senators like Therese "Ca-ching" Murray are offended by legislation asking for a five year waiting period before she and her legislative colleagues can join Patrick Administration personnel in cashing in on their debts to the casino industry with high paying jobs and contracts.

Our legislators are meeting today in conference to finalize casino gaming legislation which will turn over our state to foreign gambling interests, corrupt Indian tribes and a bevy of special interest groups which Governor Patrick - with the advice and counsel of Greg Bialecki - will sign into law.  Amazing?  Outrageous?  Unbelievable?  Yes, but most of all - corrupt and sad.

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?

Governor Deval Patrick and Greg Bialecki – masters of misdirection and deceit

Greg Bialecki says Indian gaming is inevitable in Massachusetts if the state legalizes gambling.  Governor Deval Patrick insists carving out the Southeastern corner of the Commonwealth is the only way to protect the state from this inevitability.  Really?    

Let’s put aside the fact the Mr. Bialecki has now defined “inevitable” as Mashpee Wampanoag-only gaming (by his and the governor’s initial rationale for including his set-aside preference language  to legislators this bill should cover all the federally recognized tribes with any potential to someday get land in trust for a casino).  And, let’s put aside the fact that current law, defined by a Supreme Court case (Carcieri v. Salazar) prohibits this from happening absent an act of Congress changing said law. 

With all the Harvard law degrees in the Patrick Administration one would think they might at least have a cursory familiarity with the headline making news in other gaming states where Indian casino applications from federally recognized and eligible tribe are being summarily rejected by the Department of Interior.  A minor legal impediment called the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) and those administering it at the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs will determine whether or not any tribe will be granted land in trust for the purposes of casino and other developments. 

A key provision under IGRA is that the governor of a state has veto power over the land into trust acquisition.  If Governor Patrick or any future governor views Indian gaming as a risk from which we need to be protected he has the power to prevent it in Massachusetts. 

Sec. 2719. Gaming on lands acquired after October 17, 1988: The Secretary, after consultation with the Indian tribe and appropriate State and local officials, including officials of other nearby Indian tribes, determines that a gaming establishment on newly acquired lands would be in the best interest of the Indian tribe and its members, and would not be detrimental to the surrounding community, but only if the Governor of the State in which the gaming activity is to be conducted concurs in the Secretary's determination.

The Governor clearly has some other agenda in mind and it doesn’t include the people’s interest.  Legislators from Southeastern Massachusetts “the surrounding community” oppose an unregulated, tax-exempt Indian casino complex and other regional tribes oppose the Mashpee-only plan.  Other IGRA requirements for allowing new lands in trust for Indian gaming include having BOTH a modern and historical connection to proposed casino site.

Let’s see how BIA and the courts have dealt with a few recent applications, after years of review and administrative procedures that our local band of would be casino kingpins in Mashpee will just begin if the Governor’s legislation is passed:

·        September 2011 – Guidiville Pomono Tribe casino plans for Richmond, CA – REJECTED. (Reasons: lack of support of the California Governor, lack of both historical AND MODERN connection to proposed site, opposition from other tribes.)

·        September 2011 – Jemez Pueblo Tribe casino plans for Anthony, NM – REJECTED. (Reasons: distance from tribe and opposition from other tribes in proximity)

·        August 2011 – Tenth Circuit affirms BIA rejection of Miami Tribe casino plans for Kansas City, MO – REJECTED. (Reasons: concerns over fractionation of land and long range interests of landowners.)

·        February 2011 – Stockbridge-Munsee Mohegan Tribe casino plan for Bridgeville, NY – REJECTED (Reasons: viability of proposal and lack of ability to legally take land in trust under current law)

How do we think the administrators at IGRA will feel about the Masphee Wampanoag tribe application?

·        Ability to govern? Hmm, history of tribal leadership convictions on fraud, corruption and other nefarious charges.   Financial backing from a foreign gambling syndicate with ties to Chinese Triad organized crime.  Might not be a good resume for good government.

·        Modern connection to proposed site?  Even the current Mashpee tribe chairman Cedric Cromwell lacks a modern connection to Mashpee, what possible current day connections can the Mashpee claim to Raynham, Middleboro, Foxboro, Fall River or the other “off reservation” (if they even had a reservation) sites they have planned?

·        Economic impact on and support of other tribes?  We already know the Rhode Island Narragansett tribe has plans for neighboring Twin Rivers and will oppose.  The Aquinnah Wampanoag are asserting their rights (and they are the only federally recognized tribe in Massachusetts with land in trust on which they could legitimately argue for a right to gaming).  Of course the Mohegan’s who want another casino in Palmer, MA will not want Mashpee competition.  The Pequots at Foxwoods will have their say.   Doesn’t look good on that front either. 

Where they stand on special interest gaming legislation? Let’s do a roll call.

We now know what Deval Patrick, Therese Murray and the gaming lobbyists want – special interests’ carve outs for slot machine companies and foreign backed Indian casino campaign contributors.    No matter what line of B.S. Greg Bialecki or Stan McGee claim about the inevitability of Indian casinos in the Commonwealth, their arguments for dedicating Southeastern Massachusetts to the Mashpee Wampanoag and ONLY the Mashpee’s simply don’t hold water.   Their addendum to the gaming legislation for this single, small and questionable special interest group at the expense of state revenue, jobs and community control reeks of political corruption, plain and simple.

But what will matter now is where our legislators stand on this issue.  It’s pretty simple. 

1.      You are either for preferential treatment of tax-exempt, foreign-financed Indian casinos which give huge returns to slot machine companies but lower returns to the state coupled with loss of state and local community jurisdiction, or

2.      You are for competitively bid casinos which will create jobs quickly,  maximize revenues to the state without loss of state or local community controls

So, where do they stand?  Most Bay State legislators have been silent on this special treatment legislative carve out for lobbyist Bill Delahunt’s band of POAID- (person of ancient Indian descent) led Mashpee Wampanoag and their Malaysian gambling syndicate financed “reservation casino complex.”  We know where the members of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies stand – they sent the Governor’s special interest bill to the House and Senate “without dissent.”  Now, most of these Joint Committee members, like the Governor and Murray, are big recipients of casino lobbyist campaign cash – tens of thousands in contributions apparently goes a long way toward legislators selling out their constituents’ best interests.  We know where Therese Murray’s “point man” Senator Stanley Rosenberg stands as he is whipping the votes to pass this bill without scrutiny or debate over the special interest carve-out.  Stan conveniently is another top casino lobbyist campaign cash recipient.  But let’s start taking a roll call for the rest – ask your state senators and representatives where they stand and help us fill in the list BEFORE it’s too late for a real debate and evaluation of what’s best for Massachusetts.

Let’s start the roll with our senators – sadly, Therese Murray really delivered the “Ca-Ching” to her senate colleagues as all but one took casino campaign cash, but that doesn’t mean they are bought.  So click on the link to their name and ask them and post their responses to the comment section.  I’ve asked them all, but nobody’s talking to me.

Remember, it is simple, they are either:

·        For preferential treatment of tax-exempt Indian casinos backed by overseas syndicates

Or

·        For retained local community control, rapid job creation and maximized state revenues from competitive, no special interest gaming

                 Senator                                Special Interests    - or -   Commonwealth

Therese Murray		For		Against		Tens of thousands in campaign contributions from slot machine and Indian lobbysts.
Bruce E. Tarr		?		?
Baddour, Steven		?		?
Berry, Frederick		?		?
Brewer, Stephen		?		?
Candaras, Gale		?		?
Chandler, Harriette		?		?
Chang-Diaz, Sonia		?		?		Opposes gaming, but unknown if she'll also fight against the special interest components of the bill.
Clark, Katherine		?		?
Creem, Cynthia		?		?
DiDomenico, Sal		?		?
Donnelly, Kenneth		?		?
Donoghue, Eileen		For		Against		Member of Joint Committee which sent special interest inclusive bill without dissent to the legislature.
Downing, Benjamin		?		?
Eldridge, James		?		?		Opposes gaming, but unknown if he'll also fight against the special interest components of the bill.
Fargo, Susan		?		?		Opposes gaming, but unknown if she'll also fight against the special interest components of the bill.
Finegold, Barry		?		?
Flanagan, Jennifer		?		?
Hart, John		?		?
Hedlund, Robert		?		?
Jehlen, Patricia		?		?
Joyce, Brian		For		Against		Member of Joint Committee which sent special interest inclusive bill without dissent to the legislature.
Keenan, John		?		?
Kennedy, Thomas		?		?
Knapik, Michael		?		?
McGee, Thomas		?		?
Montigny, Mark		?		?
Moore, Michael		?		?
Moore, Richard		For		Against		Member of Joint Committee which sent special interest inclusive bill without dissent to the legislature.
Pacheco, Marc		?		?
Petruccelli, Anthony		?		?
Rodrigues, Michael		?		?
Rosenberg, Stanley		For		Against		Therese Murray "point man" in charge of lining up votes.  Top recipient of lobbyist cash.
Ross, Richard		For		Against		Member of Joint Committee which sent special interest inclusive bill without dissent to the legislature.
Rush, Michael		For		Against		Member of Joint Committee which sent special interest inclusive bill without dissent to the legislature.
Spilka, Karen		For		Against		Chair of Joint Committee which sent special interest inclusive bill without dissent to the legislature.
Timilty, James		?		?
Tolman, Steven		?		?
Welch, James		?		?
Wolf, Daniel		?		?