Genting Asian Casinos Investigated & Fined

Singapore's gaming authority (CRA) last month slapped Genting Resorts World with S$530,000 ($427,000) in fines for various offenses such as paying the casino entry levies for media representatives and not maintaining its surveillance system and processes to the standards required.

CRA said the full-scale inspections of Gentin's operations "would be on top of our regular monitoring of the casinos". It would include detailed on-site inspection of electronic gaming equipment as well as comprehensive checks on the casino operations which were found in violation.

Since Genting's proposed deal with the Wampanoag's in Raynham or Middleborough will fall outside of Massachusetts gaming regulators' jurisdiction (Supreme Court 1987 ruling in California vs. Cabazon band of Mission Indians) we can expect the feds to be spending more time in the Commonwealth.  This might not be such a bad thing, perhaps they'll have time to look into Genting's cash flow through the Wampanoag's and their lobbyists to the pols pushing through this Indian gaming carve out.

Numbers don’t lie, but politicians do

Since 2003 the Wampanoag have paid more than $900,000 to lobbyists in Massachusetts who have in turn given nearly $200,000 in campaign contributions to Massachusetts politicians.  We already know that Governor Deval Patrick and Senator Therese Murray are the top recipients of casino gaming money, but do we know the extent of that money and who else in the Massachusetts House and Senate are being padded by Indian gaming lobbyists.  And since tribes like the Wampanoag don't have sources of income other than outside investors it begs the question who's paying the bills.  We know Malaysian gambling syndicate Genting is one of their backers, they previously had South African investors, what other overseas groups' money is making it way into the Massachusetts legislator coffers?

2011 Wampanoag lobbyists

·       Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe

o   Robert White & Associates – billed TBA

§  No disclosure or contribution information filed yet for 2011 – also representing Caesars Entertainment Operating Company, Inc. f.k.a Harrah's Operating Company, Inc

o   Smith Ruddock & Hayes – billed TBA

§  No disclosure or contribution information filed yet for 2011

2010 Wampanoag lobbyists

·        Aquinnah Wampanoag Gaming Corporation

o   Brandon Associates, LLC – billed $0

§  Donald B Flanagan - SB 2495 An Act Relative to Expanded Gaming in the Commonwealth, HB 4591 An Act Establishing Gaming in the Commonwealth, HB 4604 An Act Relative to Expanded Gaming in the Commonwealth – lobbied: Senator Rosenberg, Senator Spilka, Representative Dempsey, Representative Reinstein

§  Bruce H Lint - SB2495 An Act Relative to Expanded Gaming, HB 4591 An Act Relative to Establishing Gaming in the Commonwealth and HB 4604 Expanded Gaming in the Commonwealth – lobbied: Senator Rosenberg, Senator Spilka

§  Kathryn B Richardson -SB 2495 An Act Relative to Expanded Gaming, HB 4591 An Act Establishing Gaming in the Commonwealth and HB 4604 An Act Relative to Expanded Gaming in the Commonwealth – lobbied: Representative Reinstein, Representative Frost, Senator Rosenberg

§  Brandon & Associates (individual lobbyists not disclosed)- SB 2495 An Act Relative to Expanded Gaming in the Commonwealth; HB 4604 An Act Relative to Expanded Gaming in the Commonwealth; HB 4591 An Act Establishing Gaming in the Commonwealth – lobbied: Senator Rosenberg, Senator Spilka, Representative Dempsey, Representative Reinstein and the Office of the Governor

§  Reported 2010 Massachusetts’ state office political campaign contributions: $3,000

·        Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe

o   Kearney, Donovan & McGee, P.C. – billed $50,625

§  Paul T. Donovan - HB334, HB640, HB1856, HB2234, HB4062, HB4063, HB4064, HB4065, HB4066, HB4067, HB4068, HB4069, HB4081, HB4082, HB4118, HB4591, HB4619, HB4826, HB4424, HB4425, SB145, SB174, SB2035, SB2038, SB2039, SB2040, SB2042, SB2138, SB2495, SB2530 and – Lobbied: none disclosed

§  Dennis J. Kearney -  HB334, HB640, HB1856, HB2234, HB4062, HB4063, HB4064, HB4065, HB4066, HB4067, HB4068, HB4069, HB4081, HB4082, HB4118, HB4591, HB4619, HB4826, HB4424, HB4425, SB145, SB174, SB2035, SB2038, SB2039, SB2040, SB2042, SB2138, SB2495, SB2530– Lobbied: none disclosed

§  Charlene D. Rideout - HB334, HB640, HB1856, HB2234, HB4062, HB4063, HB4064, HB4065, HB4066, HB4067, HB4068, HB4069, HB4081, HB4082, HB4118, HB4591, HB4619, HB4826, HB4424, HB4425, SB145, SB174, SB2035, SB2038, SB2039, SB2040, SB2042, SB2138, SB2495, SB2530 – Lobbied: none disclosed

§  Reported 2010 Massachusetts’ state office political campaign contributions: $41,525

o   Smith Ruddock & Hayes – billed $105,000

§  Dan Cahill - House Bills: 334, 640, 1856, 2234, 4062, 4063, 4064, 4065, 4066, 4067, 4068, 4069, 4081, 4082, 4118, 4591, 4619, 4826, 4424, 4425 Senate Bills: 145, 174, 2035, 2038, 2039, 2040, 2042, 2138, 2495, 2530 – Lobbied: none disclosed

§  Robert Emmet Hayes - House Bills: 334, 640, 1856, 2234, 4062, 4063, 4064, 4065, 4066, 4067, 4068, 4069, 4081, 4082, 4118, 4591, 4619, 4826, 4424, 4425 Senate Bills: 145, 174, 2035, 2038, 2039, 2040, 2042, 2138, 2495, 2530, EOHED meetings regarding gaming issues – Lobbied: none disclosed

§  James Smith - House Bills: 334, 640, 1856, 2234, 4062, 4063, 4064, 4065, 4066, 4067, 4068, 4069, 4081, 4082, 4118, 4591, 4619, 4826, 4424, 4425 Senate Bills: 145, 174, 2035, 2038, 2039, 2040, 2042, 2138, 2495, 2530 – Lobbied: none disclosed

§  Reported 2010 Massachusetts’ state office political campaign contributions: $23,301

·        Pocasset Wampanoag Tribe

o   Northeast Public Strategies – billed $0 (Also represents Pocasset Tribe)

§  Gerard James Dhooge - Met with State and legislative officials regarding senate gaming bill – Lobbied: Sen. S. Rosenberg, Sen. B. Joyce, Sec. of Economic Affairs G. Bielecki

§  Reported 2010 Massachusetts’ state office political campaign contributions: $1,125

2009 Wampanoag lobbyists

§  Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe

o   Liberty Square Group – billed $26,109

§  No lobbyist disclosed - Monitored legislation related to Gaming – Lobbied: none disclosed

§  Reported 2009 Massachusetts’ state office political campaign contributions:$4,200

o   Smith Ruddock & Hayes – billed $36,000

§  No lobbyist disclosed - H334; H4065; H4068; S174; S2038; S2042 – Lobbied: none disclosed

§  Reported 2009 Massachusetts’ state office political campaign contributions:$15,500

o   Quinn & Morris – billed $52,500

§  No lobbyist disclosed – no specific activity disclosed – Lobbied: none disclosed – Also represented the Hawthorne Group LC which provides public affairs services promoted as specializing in the gaming industry and which has been a bidder on casino licenses in other states

§  Reported 2009 Massachusetts’ state office political campaign contributions:$9,580

2008 Wampanoag lobbyists

·        Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Tribal Council, Inc.

o   Liberty Square Group – billed $48,000

§  Gregory D'Agostino - HB357 HB371 HB363 SB209 SB191 – Lobbied: none disclosed

§  Reported 2009 Massachusetts’ state office political campaign contributions: $2,550

o   Quinn & Morris – billed $116,000 – Also represented gaming interest Hawthorne Group LC (see reference in 2009)

§  Christopher S Koczela - h.357.h371,h363,s191,s209 – Lobbied: none disclosed

§  Reported 2008 Massachusetts’ state office political campaign contributions $8,600

·        Aquinnah Wampanoag Gaming Corporation

o   Donoghue, Barrett & Singal, P.C – billed $45,000 (Also represent Las Vegas Sands)

§  Roger D Donoghue - HB357 HB363 HB366 HB2771 HB3394 HB4027 HD2153 SB3 SB191 – Lobbied: none disclosed

§  Reported 2008 Massachusetts’ state office political campaign contributions:$11,000

2007 Wampanoag lobbyists

·        Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Tribal Council, Inc

o   Liberty Square Group – billed $15,000

§  Scott M Ferson - HB357 HB371 HB363 HB209 SB191 – Lobbied: none disclosed

§  Reported 2007 Massachusetts’ state office political campaign contributions: $2,100

o   Quinn & Morris – billed $120,000

§     Christopher S Koczela - h.357.h371,h363,s191,s209 – Lobbied: none disclosed

§     Reported 2007 Massachusetts’ state office political campaign contributions: $19,800

·        Aquinnah Wampanoag Gaming Corporation

o   Donoghue, Barrett & Singal, P.C.  – billed $75,000

§  Roger D Donoghue - HB357 HB363 HB366 HB2771 HB3394 HB4027 HD2153 SB3 SB191 – Lobbied: none disclosed

§  Reported 2007 Massachusetts’ state office political campaign contributions: $15,500

2006 Wampanoag lobbyists

·        Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Tribal Council, Inc

o   Quinn & Morris – billed $120,000

§   Christopher S Koczela - H1479, S230, S270, h4443 ,S2291 – Lobbied: none  disclosed

§   Reported 2006 Massachusetts’ state office political campaign contributions: $19,625

·        Aquinnah Wampanoag Gaming Corporation

o   Donoghue, Barrett & Singal, P.C.  – billed $5,000

§   Roger D Donoghue - HB579, HB1476,  HB1479, HB1480. HB1486,  HB1487, HB1488,  HB3369,  HB3528, HB3532,  HB3542,  HB3713,  HB3733,  HB3755,  HB3960, Bill: HB3963, SB232 – Lobbied: none disclosed

§   Reported 2006 Massachusetts’ state office political campaign contributions: $14,375

2005 Wampanoag lobbyists

§  Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Tribal Council, Inc – paid $120,000 to undisclosed lobbyists

2004 Wampanoag lobbyists

·        Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head /Aquinnah/Tunica Biloxi Tribe of LA/Keysto – engaged Donoghue, Barrett & Singal, P.C to lobby on gaming issues, no payments were reported

2003 Wampanoag lobbyists

·        Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head /Aquinnah/Tunica Biloxi Tribe of LA/Keysto – engaged Donoghue, Barrett & Singal, P.C to lobby on gaming issues - $120,000 in payments were reported

Next?  How about a ranked list of lobbyist donations to Mass legislators pushing for Indian gaming...

Latest Interior Department ruling adds casinos to queue for review

The New York Times is reporting today that the Interior Department has reversed a previous ruling which prevented Indian gaming operations by federally recognized tribes under the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act beyond "commuting distance" from the tribe's reservation.

Some 22 applications had been rejected under this rule and are now back in queue for the lengthy review process required under federal law for Indian gaming operations.  This review process determines whether or not the Secretary of the Interior will allow a tribes recognized before 1934 to acquire land in trust (a requirement for Indian gaming operations of any kind).   This process requires local impact assessments, impact on state and local tax-bases resulting from removal of proposed land from the local tax base, jurisdictional issues review (i.e., Indian casino lands are no longer subject to local law enforcement), resolution of any litigation challenges, and environmental impact studies.

Once all of these studies and clearances have been completed a tribe may take land into trust and begin the building process of their gaming project.  Based on past reviews, this process takes between six (6) and 25 years.  The addition of the 22 previously rejected tribes to the ten current "off reservation" applications before the Department of the Interior is likely to make that wait even longer.

What does this mean for the proposed Massachusetts legislative carve-out for in-state Indian gaming?  Well, nothing really other than yet another insurmountable hurdle.  The Wampanoag tribe is not even a recognized tribe under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act as it was not recognized prior to 1934.  A fact that the Supreme Court ruled in in 2009 (Carcieri v. Salazar) makes them ineligible to take land into trust - a prerequisite for establishing an Indian gaming operation.  This decision requires an act of Congress to allow the Wampanoags to move their plan forward.  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts cannot legislate around this federal law, so whatever deal they cook up for the Wampanoag's and their Asian gambling syndicate financial backers will still start the tribe off at square one with the feds.

So which ever local community (Raynham, Middleborough, Mashpee, or Fall River) is putting their financial eggs in this Indian basket they better be prepared to wait a few decades before any jobs or local economic benefits (after the Indian's backers take their tax-free share back to Malaysia).

Will Governor Patrick, Senator Murray and the the long list of Indian casino campaign contributions and lobby money still be around to thank in 25 years for the first jobs to come from this scheme?

Genting - Wampanoag gaming syndicate eyes Raynham as next Aqueduct?

The Cape Cod Times is reporting that the Wampanoag gaming consortium, backed by Asian gambling syndicate Genting Group, is now eyeing the defunct dog track in Raynham, Massachusetts owned by George Carney.

The Wampanoag plan financiers are the Genting Group, one of the largest gambling syndicates in the world which has been aggressively seeking a foothold in the United States.  Genting recently acquired the Aqueduct Raceway in New York and  is lobbying legislators in Florida for rights to develop casinos in Miami.


Unlike New York and Florida, Massachusetts offers Genting an even bigger potential ROI for the million's they are sinking into the Wampanoag lobbying efforts.  Using the Wampanoag people, Genting will have the added benefit of tax-free income from their U.S. gaming investments.  If recent similar history is any indication, the investors will take all the cream from this deal and leave both the people of Massachusetts and the rank and file Wampanoag with sour milk.  All of which begs the question to our state and federal legislators - Why?  


So, while refusing to be quoted on this issue in the Cape Cod Times, we can all still call and ask Governor Duval Patrick, Senator Therese Murray, Senator Marc Pacheco, Representative Robert DeLeo and Raynham Selectman Joseph Pacheco some questions:

• Why grant special consideration to this Asian gaming group - or any non-Native American financiers behind efforts to launch Indian gaming in Massachusetts?
  
• Why dilute revenues, delay jobs and forgo tax income with this special "Indian" carve out which will require lengthy federal legislation and approvals where non-Indian gaming will not?
  
• How much campaign and lobbying money that doesn't come from Asian gambling syndicates will it take for you to support the best interests of the people of Massachusetts?

Contact Governor Duval Patrick:  call ( 617) 725-4005 or email Duval.Patrick@state.ma.us or Twitter @MassGovernor 

Contact Senator Therese Murray: call (508) 746-9332  or email Therese.Murray@state.ma.us  or Twitter @ThereseMurrayMA

Contact Senator Marc Pacheco: call (508) 822-3000 or email Marc.Pacheco@state.ma.us 

Contact Representative Robert DeLeo: call (781) 289-8965 or email Robert.DeLeo@mahouse.gov 

Contact Raynham Selectman Joe Pacheco: call (508) 813-2357 or email Joe-Pachecco@comcast.net

Massachusetts leadership cashes in on casino lobbying money

In 2009, gaming lobbyists made 2,224 political campaign contributions to Massachusetts candidates totaling over $358,000 – ($156,350 – came from lobbyists representing interests outside of the state and $70,500 came from lobbyists representing Indian gaming interests).  This lobbyist political money doesn’t reflect other bundled contributions or those made directly by their gaming clients to Massachusetts politicians.

Out of state investors and Indian gaming means less money stays in Massachusetts.  And who are the top recipients, again, of casino lobbying money?  

The winners are Senator Therese Murray, Lt. Governor Tim Murray and Governor Deval Patrick.  The losers will be the people of the Commonwealth expecting to maximize the potential benefits of legalized gambling revenues.

Senator Therese Murray received $8,674.  Of these contributions 77 percent came from lobbyists representing Indian or out-of-state gaming syndicates.
  

Governor Deval Patrick and Lt. Governor Tim Murray pulled in a combined $13,150, like Senate President Therese Murray the vast majority came from lobbyists representing Indian or out-of-state gaming syndicates.

And the Democratic leadership political PACs controlled by Murray and the Governor received another $11,830.