Beacon Hill

Key pols fly coop during casino talks

Key Bay State lawmakers flew out of town this week to hobnob with lobbyists at a bourbon-swilling hoedown in the home of the Kentucky Derby - blowing a crucial deadline last night meant to break the stalemate on legalized casinos.

“I think it’s outrageous that at this critical point in the legislative session that they’re down there to be wined and dined,” said Thomas Whalen, a political professor at Boston University. “It just looks bad all around.”

At least three state lawmakers -including Senate President Therese Murray - hit Louisville for the National Conference of State Legislatures’ annual summit this week despite another looming deadline - the July 31 end of the legislative session.

The four-day taxpayer-funded junket featured a private serenade by Wynonna Judd and Loretta Lynn and a night of bourbon sipping and live horse racing at Churchill Downs’ “Millionaires Row,” according to the group’s Web site.

Sen. Stanley C. Rosenberg (D-Amherst) [the little man lives to have his ego stroked!] - one of the lead negotiators charged with breaking the deadlock on casinos - bolted Tuesday night and spent most of yesterday in Louisville to receive a “leadership in the arts” award.

“This is a lifetime achievement award,” Rosenberg boasted, [it simply doesn't get any better than that does it, Stanley?] adding that he was on the phone with conferees before and after his award ceremony. He returned to Beacon Hill last night. “I’m sorry. I’m entitled to take four hours. I worked on (casinos) for three years.”

[Oh? Wasn't it all on the taxpayers' dime and we have no information?]

With many critical bills bottlenecked in the Legislature, lawmakers last night again failed to hammer out a compromise on casino legislation even though they set themselves an 8 p.m. deadline. They also cut out at 5 p.m. sharp Tuesday.

Sen. Richard Moore (D-Uxbridge) went to the Kentucky blowout Saturday and stayed all week as he prepared to be crowned the new president of the NCSL. He plans to return to Boston today.

[Senator Richard T. "Debt Collector" Moore - ever sensitive to protecting the interests of wealthy casino investors!]