WYNN RESORTS is a publicly traded company and to date, no information has been forthcoming about the impacts of the $7.5 MILLION settlement and the impacts of the concealment. 

Wynn resort name under fire amid new sex claims

Jordan Graham Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Credit: Nancy Lane

Explosive new allegations — including rape — against toppled casino mogul Steve Wynn come as the state Gaming Commission has been flooded with unsolicited calls to drop the magnate’s name from the $2.4 billion Everett gambling palace.

Two new accusers have come forward, including one who told authorities Wynn raped her at least three times in the early 1970s, The Associated Press reported.

The woman, who was not identified, told police she was raped in her Chicago apartment by Wynn, and said she became pregnant and later gave birth in a gas station restroom, the AP added.

Another woman told Las Vegas police she was forced to quit her job as a card dealer after refusing to have sex with Wynn in 1976, the news agency added. 

The Wall Street Journal has already reported on a number of sexual harassment allegations against Wynn, including one from a former manicurist at his Las Vegas hotel, who allegedly received a $7.5 million payment from Wynn. State gaming officials have said Wynn took steps to keep that settlement private, including hiding it from investigators. 

Wynn has denied the allegations, blaming his ex-wife for the scandal.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission said yesterday its investigation continues amid the new allegations.

“MCG continues to conduct an aggressive investigation on this very serious matter,” said Elaine Driscoll, a commission spokeswoman.

CHARLIE BAKER RECEIVED A GENEROUS CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION THAT WAS LAUNDERED THROUGH THE RNC.....STEVE WYNN WAS FINANCE CHAIR OF THE RNC UNTIL WYNN WAS FORCED TO RESIGN....HAS THE RNC RETURNED WYNN'S CONTRIBUTIONS?

Gov. Charlie Baker also criticized Wynn, and said he supports the Gaming Commission’s investigation.

“Gov. Baker finds these allegations horrifying and deeply disturbing and expects them to be taken seriously,” said Lizzy Guyton, a spokeswoman for Baker, in a statement. “The governor believes it was the right decision for Wynn resorts to terminate its relationship with Mr. Wynn in light of recent disturbing allegations.”

In the roughly one month since the allegations first surfaced, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission has been hit with unsolicited calls for the Everett casino, called the Wynn Boston Harbor, to be barred from using Wynn in its name.

“I absolutely do not want the Everett Casino to bear the name of Steve Wynn, someone who routinely sexually harassed and assaulted others,” one comment says. “Putting his name on the Boston skyline is an insult to our community.”

The commission has broad power to regulate casinos, but it is unclear if they could demand a name change.

Michael Weaver, a spokesman for Wynn Resorts, said the company will not act on a name change.

“Opinions are running high right now on the topic of changing the name on our Boston resort,” Weaver said. “Wynn is a $25 billion brand supported by 25,000 employees worldwide; it is not about one person. Now is not the right time to quickly consider a name change, considering the global implications of such a decision.”

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/local_coverage/2018/02/wynn_resort_name_under_fire_amid_new_sex_claims

'OMG!': Emails reveal shock as the Massachusetts Gaming Commission reacted to Steve Wynn allegations

Updated Feb 17; Posted Feb 17

By Dan Glaun

dglaun@masslive.com

On the afternoon of Jan. 26, when a copy of the Wall Street Journal's explosive report on sexual misconduct allegations against casino mogul Steve Wynn landed in Massachusetts Gaming Commission chairman Steve Crosby's email inbox, his reaction consisted of three letters.

"OMG!" Crosby wrote in an email to his wife, after the Gaming Commission's director of communications forwarded the story to the commission's top brass.

Crosby, his fellow commissioners and their staff would swiftly be swamped with media inquiries and outraged comments from members of the public, as the regulatory body attempted to respond to the growing crisis.

In another email, Crosby described the allegations as a "stink bomb" that had hit the commission.

While the $2.4 billion Wynn Boston Harbor casino had faced legal challenges before, the commission quickly realized that the fallout from the Journal's story would be of another magnitude entirely.

"These fires burn so hot they can consume anything they touch," Crosby said in responding to another email about the allegations. "Hopefully we can do this right."

MassLive has obtained thousands of pages of the Gaming Commission's emails from the week the story broke, following a public records request.

A review of the emails offers a glimpse into how the state's gaming regulators reacted to the growing controversy. And the emails show the commission was closely tracking how the Wynn scandal played out in the media.

Hours after commissioners met to discuss the allegations on Jan. 31, as well as face questions from reporters, Crosby forwarded one article to the Gaming Commission's chief investigator, Karen Wells, with the note, "I think we did pretty damn well in this one!" 

The Gaming Commission withheld emails related to the agency's ongoing investigation into Wynn and privileged messages between commission staff and attorneys.

On Jan. 26, the Journal reported that Wynn had paid a $7.5 million settlement in 2005 after a manicurist at one of his casinos alleged that he pressured her into having sex against her will. Steve Wynn called the allegations "preposterous."

Dozens of other people who worked at Wynn's casinos told the Journal of a years-long pattern of sexual advances toward female employees, including exposing himself to and requesting sexual services from massage therapists who worked for his company.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission quickly launched a review of whether Wynn's alleged conduct put the company in violation of regulations -- most notably, a requirement that gaming companies and their individual officers be found "suitable" for a gaming license.

Wynn and his company passed that review in 2013, but at a Jan. 31 public hearing the commission confirmed that the company had not disclosed the settlement to investigators at the time.

The commission's review is ongoing with no stated end date. Under Massachusetts' 2011 Massachusetts casino law, the Gaming Commission has the right to revoke or suspend the casino licenses for individuals and companies who violate regulations.

Wynn has denied any allegations of assault and claimed the accusations were instigated by his ex-wife Elaine Wynn, with whom he was embroiled in a shareholder dispute. The Las Vegas billionaire, who grew his initial casino investments in the 1960s into an international gaming empire, resigned as CEO of his namesake company on Feb. 6.

Shortly after the story broke Crosby asked outside experts for guidance.

"Needless to say, we are swamped in Mass with how to deal with the Wynn allegations. You got out at the right time!" wrote Crosby to former Nevada Gaming Control Board Chairman A.G. Burnett, who left his post in December. "If you were willing, I'd like very much to get some informal advice from you on this."

Crosby also received an email from corporate governance consultant Hal Shear, and responded by asking for background on how Wynn's board should handle the situation.

"Just what we needed. If his board deals with it, easy for us. If not, hmmm," Crosby wrote to Shear.

Shear also had sent Crosby an email containing a Bloomberg story from earlier that day, Jan. 28, headlined, "Harassment Claims Add to History of Issues With Wynn Board."

The Bloomberg article said the Wynn Resorts board has faced criticism for "weak corporate governance and deference to its founder and chairman." The article added, "Institutional Shareholder Services Inc., the proxy advisory firm, last year gave Wynn Resorts its worst ranking for governance risk. "

Shear's email to Crosby carried the following subject line: "too bad your guys didn't flag some of this."

"Not saying I would have used this to have negated the deal, but it shows pretty poor practices," Shear wrote.

In another email, Gaming Commissioner Lloyd Macdonald highlighted the outsize role Wynn plays in his company's projects, and the challenges facing the commission in its investigation.

"There is no silver bullet here. To state the obvious, what makes the stakes so high is that Wynn is the personal driving force of almost every decision relating to design, presentation and quality of the gaming operation and resort," Macdonald wrote to Crosby.

"But we must hold him accountable," added Macdonald, who was not on the commission when they selected Wynn in 2014. "Fortunately, at this time the most important thing is the facts, and our commitment to get to the bottom of them must be unambiguous."

Work on Wynn Boston Harbor has not stopped, and the casino is still scheduled to open in Everett, just outside of Boston, in June 2019.

MassLive reporter Gintautas Dumcius contributed to this report.

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/02/there_is_no_silver_bullet_emai.html

Amid Wynn investigation, people should 'sit tight and see what happens,' Massachusetts Gaming chairman says

Updated 2:41 PM; Posted 2:41 PM

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/02/amid_wynn_investigation_people.html

Here's what Massachusetts investigators are looking into after Steve Wynn hit with allegations of sexual misconduct

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/01/heres_what_massachusetts_inves.html

2 / 15

AP

Wynn’s casino license in jeopardy after investigator says firm deliberately concealed harassment payout

FROM MASSTERLIST:

Today's News

Wynn’s casino license in jeopardy after investigator says firm deliberately concealed harassment payout It’s no longer just about Steve Wynn. It’s about whether the company, Wynn Resorts, will keep its Everett casino license after a state investigator found that the firm deliberately concealed from the state a $7.5 million payout to settle a sexual harassment complaint against chief executive Steve Wynn. Bruce Mohl at CommonWealth magazine, Gintautas Dumcius at MassLive, and Mark Arsenault at the Globe have more on how state regulators are now signaling that there’s more at stake than just going after Steve Wynn. Meanwhile, Bloomberg News reports: “The Nevada Gaming Control Board launched a formal investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct made against Steve Wynn, a move that may ultimately mean the end of the casino mogul’s storied career.” Attorney General Maura Healey said yesterday that the allegations of sexual misconduct by casino magnate Steve Wynn are "sickening and disturbing,” reports Shira Schoenberg at MassLive.

The loss of Steve Wynn's MA casino license

We submitted the comments below to the MA Gambling Commission as they begin an emergency "suitability review" of Steve Wynn for a MA casino license. The Commission is meeting today at 2pm. I encourage you to let them hear your voice as well by sending comments to mgccomments@state.ma.us

January 31, 2018

RE: Comments Regarding Suitability Review of Steve Wynn for Massachusetts Casino License

To the Massachusetts Gambling Commission:

As the Commission examines the growing sexual abuse scandal engulfing casino operator Steve Wynn, we are writing to ask your suitability review center on one central question:

“Is The Wall Street Journal investigative report about Wynn’s sexual abuse of women accurate or did The Wall Street Journal get it wrong?”

If the Commission’s review finds The Wall Street Journal reported the facts accurately, then Wynn is a sexual predator who would not pass a suitability standard for any vocation except for inmate. His license should be revoked immediately.

Best,

Les Bernal
National Director
Stop Predatory Gambling

________________________________

Stop Predatory Gambling

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Steve Wynn. (photo: Jessica Rinaldi/Getty Images)

GOP Silent Over Sex Misconduct Accusations Against RNC Finance Chair Steve Wynn

By Ed O'Keefe, The Washington Post

27 January 18

epublican leaders remained silent Friday about allegations of sexual misconduct against casino mogul Steve Wynn, who serves as finance chairman of the Republican National Committee and would not say whether he plans to relinquish his role.

The accusations leveled against the businessman, a rival-turned-confidant of President Donald Trump, gave Democrats an opening to revive attacks on the GOP.

In recent months, Democrats and Republicans have called on the opposing party to return financial contributions or cut ties with prominent individuals accused of sexual misconduct. When allegations against entertainment executive Harvey Weinstein surfaced last fall, RNC Chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel and other GOP leaders quickly called on the Democratic National Committee, its House and Senate campaign arms and individual Democratic candidates and lawmakers to refund his thousands of dollars in donations.

Last weekend, McDaniel and Wynn hosted a fundraiser for Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort to mark the first anniversary of his inauguration. Trump skipped the event, staying in Washington as a partial government shutdown unfolded.

On Friday, the RNC did not respond to requests for comment about a report by the Wall Street Journal that included interviews with dozens of people who have worked at Wynn's casinos or been told of his alleged behavior, including allegations that he pressured some employees to perform sex acts.

With the report, a major business executive now faces the kind of allegations that have led to the downfall of celebrity chefs, movie moguls, pro football team owners and national television news anchors. At least eight members of Congress have resigned or announced plans to retire because of similar misconduct allegations.

Wynn Resorts - the company that bears his name - saw its stock price drop 10 percent Friday in the wake of the Journal's report.

In a written statement, Wynn strongly denied the allegations, saying they stemmed from an ongoing divorce battle with his ex-wife.

"The idea that I ever assaulted any woman is preposterous," Wynn said. "We find ourselves in a world where people can make allegations, regardless of the truth, and a person is left with the choice of weathering insulting publicity or engaging in multiyear lawsuits. It is deplorable for anyone to find themselves in this situation."

Asked whether Wynn planned to step down from his RNC role, company spokesman Michael Weaver said, "Neither Mr. Wynn nor the company have any comment on that."

The DNC criticized McDaniel and the RNC for standing by Wynn, noting that when Weinstein was accused, she said candidates and political organizations "shouldn't take money from somebody who treated women with the absolute highest level of disrespect."

Wynn, a onetime business rival of Trump, became head of RNC fundraising operations a year ago next week. The 75-year old is an outsize figure in Las Vegas, best known for bringing resorts with dancing fountains and man-made volcanoes to the Strip before selling the Bellagio, Mirage and Treasure Island hotels, under pressure from investors, to MGM Grand. He later built two glass towers adorned with his signature at the north end of Las Vegas Boulevard.

Wynn has been a frequent presence in Washington since taking the RNC role and is among a cast of several business associates, longtime aides and friends who have fallen in and out of favor with Trump.

The two traded barbs in the press through the 1990s and have faced off in court. In his book "Trump: The Art of the Deal," Trump said, "Wynn is very slick and smooth, but he's also a very strange guy."

Wynn has given more than $1.5 million to the RNC, the National Republican Congressional Committee and other party committees in the past five years, including a donation of more than $450,000 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee in the 2016 cycle. Several leading Republican members of Congress, including Sens. Ted Cruz, Texas, Marco Rubio, Fla., and Patrick Toomey, Pa., have benefited from his cash.

There were signs Friday that the accusations against Wynn could influence ongoing congressional campaigns.

Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., the most vulnerable GOP senator seeking reelection this year, received $5,400 from Wynn - the maximum individual amount permitted - in March, according to campaign finance records.

Rep. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., who is challenging Heller, called the reports about Wynn "horrifying and disturbing." Rosen said the RNC should remove Wynn as finance chairman and called on Heller to demand Wynn's ouster.

As of Friday afternoon, Heller's campaign had not returned requests for comment.

The Indiana Democratic Party urged Rep. Luke Messer, R-Ind., a GOP Senate candidate and fifth-ranking member of the House GOP Conference, to call for Wynn's removal.

Michael Feldman, a spokesman for the Indiana Democratic Party, said Messer "has a real opportunity to live up to his own principles."

Messer is hoping to unseat Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., but first faces a primary against Rep. Todd Rokita, R-Ind. Messer has never met or received campaign donation from Wynn, a Messer campaign official said.

In 2000, Wynn gave $20,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, according to campaign finance records. Before backing Trump, Wynn donated $2,700 to Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign.

http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/318-66/48140-gop-silent-over-sex-misconduct-accusations-against-rnc-finance-chair-steve-wynn

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Wall Street Journal report on Steve Wynn's sexual abuse of women

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