Governor Patrick: I'm disappointed!

Truly disappointing!

In view of the Alabama Vote Buying Trial, involving promises
of campaign contributions in return for favorable legislative votes
to support 'electronic bingo' [which is constitutionally illegal in Alabama],
the recent DiMasi conviction and the Probation Dept. Scandal that
has immersed the legislature in a shroud, Governor Patrick needs
to do better than this.

http://wampaleaks.blogspot.com/


Thursday, June 30, 2011
Deval Patrick tells Boston Globe 'no gaming interest contributions' - really?

Boston Globe: Patrick says he does not meet with gambling lobbyists, but political adviser tied to the industry, June 30, 2011
by Noah Bierman

Governor Deval Patrick said this morning that he does not meet with gambling lobbyists, but one of his top political advisers and closest confidants is a registered lobbyist for a gambling equipment company. “I don’t take contributions from gaming interests,” Patrick said. “I haven’t engaged with any of the gaming lobbyists and so on. That’s a very complicated issue and so I’ve got staff who are dealing with that directly.”


Is the Governor lying, confused or misinformed? It is a very complicated issue if you are easily confused or misinformed - which if we grant that the Governor doesn't lie, then he must be easily confused or seriously misinformed about who he's meeting with and from whom he's raising money.


The Massachusetts Secretary of State tracks all registered lobbyists and anyone can do a public search on these lobbyists, their clients (by industry - e.g., "Gaming") and see to whom they've made campaign contributions.


A simple search shows lobbyists who reported representing gaming interests and lobbying on gaming-related legislation have donated over $15,000 to Governor Patrick. Here is a sampling of gaming lobbyist contributions to Deval Patrick:

Click on the LINK for the spreadsheet of contributions

So c'mon Governor, don't tell us you're not taking money from special interests in the gaming industry who are seeking special carve outs for groups like the Wampanoag or Mohegan Indians who want tax-exempt gaming, free from local jurisdictions and law enforcement and other perks which don't benefit the state budget or people in the communities where these casinos might be built.