MEMBERS OF PENNSYLVANIA LEGISLATURE AND THE ASIAN COMMUNITY ARE UNHAPPY ABOUT THE LICENSE THAT MASHANTUCKET PEQUOT TRIBAL COUNCIL CHAIRMAN RECEIVED.
MASHANTUCKET PEQUOT TRIBAL CHAIRMAN MICHAEL THOMAS IN 2006 PASSED AN INVESTIGATION (BACKGROUND CHECK) IN PENNSYLVANIA AND RECEIVED A GAMING LICENSE. HE RECEIVED THE LICENSE EVEN THOUGH HE HAD BEEN CONVICTED IN A DRUG CASE IN RHODE ISLAND. THE CASE WAS EXPUNGED SOMETIME AFTER 2004.
THE 1979 GAMING LAW IN PENNSYLVANIA PRECLUDES THE STATE FROM USING EXPUNGED CRIMES IN LICENSING. THE 2004 GAMING LAW STATES LAW WHICH REGULATES SLOT MACHINES PROHIBITS THE LICENSING OF FELONS WHO HAVE NOT COMPLETED THEIR SENTENCES WITH THE LAST FIFTEEN (15) YEARS.
JANE ORIE, PENNSYLVANIA MAJORITY WHIP IN THE SENATE SAID, "THIS ONE JUST HIGHLIGHTS TO ME THE BOARD'S INCOMPETENCE. CLEARLY THE LEGISLATIVE INTENT WAS NOT TO HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS A FELONY CRIME WITHIN 15 YEARS TO OWN A LICENSE, LOOK AT OTHER STATES, HE WOULD HAVE BEEN BARRED. THIS IS JUST COMMON SENSE. YOU WANT TO KEEP THE CRIMINAL ELEMENT OUT OF GAMBLING. (THE GAMING BOARD) HAS FAILED THE PUBLIC THEY ARE CHARGED TO PROTECT AND FIND THIS REPREHENSIBLE."
PAUL I. CLYMER, A PENNSYLVANIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE SAID, "WHEN YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING AS SERIOUS AS CASINO GAMBLING, WHICH LENDS ITSELF TO CRIME AND CORRUPTION, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE AS CLEAN AS A WHISTLE. BUT IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHETHER THE PRESSURE IN HARRISBURG WILL BE STRONG ENOUGH TO MOVE LEGISLATION."
HELEN GYM, A BOARD MEMBER OF ASIAN AMERICAN UNITED SAID, " I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE IT COULD BE SO UNDER THE RADAR; I FOUND IT IN A GOOGLE SEARCH." IN A STATEMENT FROM THE GROUP IT STATED, "A CLEAR VIOLATION HAS OCCURRED WHICH WARRANTS SERIOUS INVESTIGATION NOT JUST IN THE SPECIFICS OF THIS CASE BUT INTO THE PENNSYLVANIA GAMING BOARD'S CLEAR LACK OF DUE DILIGENCE."
IT SEEMS LIKE THE PENNSYLVANIA GAMING CONTROL BOARD NEEDS TO GET ITS' ACT TOGETHER. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN'? COULD IT HAPPEN AGAIN? WILL THE MASHANTUCKET PEQUOT'S LOSE THEIR LICENSE? WHAT DO YOU THINK?
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