Statement from CSM President Scott Harshbarger

Scott Harshbarger, president of Citizens for a Stronger Massachusetts, issued the following statement on the appointment of Stephen Crosby as the chairman of the new Gambling Commission.


Statement of Scott Harshbarger, president of Citizens for a Stronger Massachusetts

“While I and many other concerned Massachusetts residents remain skeptical of the promises made by casino supporters, Governor Patrick today made an inspired selection in Steve Crosby as the chairman of the powerful Gambling Commission. Steve is a bipartisan realist with strong credentials, demonstrated independence and impressive experience in both the public and private sectors. He is smart, tough and honest and I hope his selection sets the standard for strong appointments from the Governor, Attorney General and Treasurer.

“The new Chairman will be judged in the near- and long-term on his actions and I hope critics and proponents alike will watch, comment and participate in this critically important process. Among the important early steps for the commission is to showcase its independence in decision-making, create a strict code of ethics and conduct for all commission matters and clearly establish a process for decisions which imposes a new level of transparency and civic engagement.

“The hard work on casinos and slots begins now, with Steve Crosby at the helm. I believe the Governor, Attorney-General and Treasurer will get it right and appoint more truly independent-minded commissioners willing to stand up for the Commonwealth and its best interests.”

Kraft, Wynn Ramp Up Foxboro Casino Plans

It's now official - Suffolk Downs will have competition for the coveted Eastern Massachusetts casino license, and Joe O'Donnell should be concerned. And as the respective sides gather politicians to their respective camps, it remains unclear who will win the fight.

As the Boston Globe reports, the competition is less focused on which group - Foxboro or Suffolk Downs - is most qualified to run a casino, than it is on which casino can attract the heaviest political hitters to their cause. In Steve Wynn's corner - business magnate Robert Kraft and Governor Deval Patrick. And with Joe O'Donnell - House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Boston Mayor Tom Menino.

Foxboro residents have already begun to a refrain of "enough!" Between the Patriots, Major League Soccer, and a never-ending string of concerts, the small community's infrastructure has already been pushed to the limit. Add a 24 hour - excuse me, 23 hour and 59 minute - per day casino, and Foxboro will be pushed beyond its breaking point. Of course, Wynn and Kraft have promised to make a Foxboro casino "bucolic," but really, can you take the word of a man known for revamping the anything-but-bucolic Las Vegas strip?

Globe: Kraft/Wynn Casino Alliance Signals Possible Trouble Ahead

In a Boston Globe article, Adrian Walker ponders whether the Massachusetts gambling industry - led by business and casino titans Robert Kraft and Steve Wynn - could "become a beast that will strain the state’s ability to regulate it." Mr. Walker rightly notes that it is an industry "defined by desperation," and questions the negative effect that casinos will have on quality of life in the Commonwealth.

Click here to read the entire article.

CSM President Scott Harshbarger Boston Globe Opinion

Click here to read Citizens for a Stronger Massachusetts' President Scott Harshbarger's Opinion article published in the Boston Globe on Saturday, December 3, 2011. The article discusses what will be needed in the members of the yet-to-be-named gaming commission.

Globe Editorial: Patrick Should Review Bialecki's Actions

Gregory Bialecki, the secretary of housing and economic development, appears "untroubled" by his clear violation of state ethics laws, says the Boston Globe. Bialecki, who testified to the benefits of expanded gambling three days after finding out that he owned $17,000 of casino stock, decided to sell his shares only after the Globe inquired into the matter. While he now admits that he was "dumb" for failing to ask advice on the matter from Governor Patrick, his excuse for his pro-casino testimony - that his remarks were prepared for him without his knowledge - is beyond absurd.

Click here to read the entire article.

Click here to read another Globe article reporting on the ever-increasing competition for the licenses that would become available, should Massachusetts legalize expanded gambling.

Casinos and Personal Information: Tracking Your Every Move

No longer satisfied with normal marketing techniques and focus groups, casino owners are now able to track gamblers' every financial move, even outside of the casino. Software available to them permits casino owners to monitor any gambler who used a credit card, check card, or ATM machine on the premises. Once in the system, every transaction made by a gambler is recorded and organized to allow casinos to know the spending habits of a particular gambler - even transactions made at other casinos. All this tracking is meant to provide information to attract the biggest gamblers to their establishment in lieu of that of a competitor.

Though cleverly worded as "MVP" patrons or "high-potential" gamers, it is clear that this sort of tracking is meant to seek out problem gamblers who will be prone to losing the most possible money.

Click here to watch how this tracking works.

Statement of Scott Harshbarger, President of Citizens for a Stronger Massachusetts

CSM President Scott Harshbarger released the following statement this morning in reaction to today's Boston Globe article, reporting that Gregory Bialecki, secretary of housing and economic development, held more than $17,000 in Wynn Resorts Ltd. and Las Vegas Sands Corp. Both companies have expressed interest in building a casino in Massachusetts, should they become legal. Mr. Bialecki reportedly sold his stock in the two groups after Globe inquiries into this potential conflict of interest.

“The cozy relationship between our elected and appointed officials, casino bosses and their hired guns is deeply troubling and today’s Boston Globe expose just peels back another layer of this rotten onion. The more we learn about the insider dealing that shrouds this entire issue, the more red flags it should wave for all of us, including legislators and the Governor.

“Secretary Bialecki, who has been a leading proponent of the alleged economic benefits of casinos, was right to dump his financial investment in casino stocks but he’d be smarter to advise the Governor to dump his support for this bill until he completes the truly independent cost and benefit analysis the Governor promised. From jobs and revenues to regulatory structure and law enforcement – this bill absolutely will not deliver on its promises.”

CSM President Scott Harshbarger on Fox 25

Click here to watch CSM President Scott Harshbarger on Fox 25 discussing the ongoing casino debate in Massachusetts. Referring to casino gambling as "fool's gold," Mr. Harshbarger points out that casinos have to be allowed to give out free drinks and junkets to be a functional business model, all the while causing increased gambling addiction & devastation to surrounding communities. Mr. Harshbarger also points out that the "race to the bottom" has already begun, noting the happy hour amendment that would allow discounted alcohol in state bars and restaurants.

Statement of Scott Harshbarger, President of Citizens for a Stronger Massachusetts on Senate Passage of the Casino Bill

The following is a statement from Scott Harshbarger, president of Citizens for a Stronger Massachusetts, on the Senate’s passage this afternoon of the casino bill. 

“We are, of course, disappointed with the Senate’s vote to follow the House in approving a bill which, if it becomes law, will irreparably and undeniably hurt the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. After weeks of so-called “debate,” the process now goes back behind closed doors where key differences in this bill will be hammered out the same way the bill was written – in secret, with no transparency or public voice.

“With protesters camping out on sidewalks only blocks from the State House pleading for a voice in their government, it is shameful Beacon Hill clearly hasn’t learned the lessons of its recent past and insists on moving forward with a bill that will only help casino owners, lobbyists and special interests. There is still time to kill this bill and we continue to hope lawmakers and Governor Patrick will see this is clearly a bad bet for Massachusetts.”

Blue Mass Group: CSM Analysis "Stunning"

CSM's analysis of the proposed gambling bill was picked up by Blue Mass Group, which reported that "[a]s many of us have long suspected, the estimates the gambling interests and their front groups are using are WRONG!"

Click here for a link to the full story.

Statement of Scott Harshbarger, President of Citizens for a Stronger Massachusetts

Copied below is a statement from Scott Harshbarger, president of Citizens for a Stronger Massachusetts, in response to claims that casino critics are ‘elitist’ for questioning jobs, revenue and local aid estimates being offered by bill proponents.

“It’s a shame our leaders must resort to name-calling rather than embracing an honest debate on the complex issue of casino gambling. Unfortunately, the cloud of phony outrage at our penetrating analysis of this bill’s failings still hasn’t yielded an answer about the false hope of their baldly inaccurate jobs, local aid and revenue estimates. It’s time they acknowledge the slight job increase casinos will bring aren’t new jobs but replacements for ones lost to casinos by surrounding businesses.

“This bill was worked out in secret by no more than three State House leaders and has been proven by the media to be a larded-up, special interest giveaway co-authored by the casino industry to help feather its nests at the expense of hard-working Bay State residents.”

CSM Release & Analysis Press Coverage

In an article published on October 11, 2011, the Associated Press reported on Citizens for a Stronger Massachusetts' detailed review and analysis of the gambling bill's supposed benefits. According to the AP article, Senate President Therese Murray "dismissed" the reports of potential job losses - unfortunately a recurring theme amongst Beacon Hill leaders - all the while admitting that the introduction of legalized gambling in Massachusetts could result in an initial decrease in state lottery revenues.

Click here for a link to the full article, published by the Boston Herald.

CSM Release: Economic Development & Local Aid Numbers are Troubling

Citizens for a Stronger Massachusetts issued the following release on October 11, 2011. 

Citizens for a Stronger Massachusetts Releases Gambling Analysis Documents

Today, Citizens for a Stronger Massachusetts released several documents containing detailed analysis of the proposed gambling bill. These documents can be found below.

Follow the Money (if you can)

Gambling Revenue Distributions

Gambling Timeline

Expanded Gambling & Local Aid

Future Local Aid Scenario

Casinos and slots - the new Massachusetts Miracle?

Citizens of the Commonwealth - Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution today to Citizens for a Stronger Massachusetts to help us continue to try to educate the public about the unfair and deceptive campaign being waged by our Beacon Hill leaders and casino and slot profiteers and their lobbyists to sell a product that is not only a flawed economic development, revenue and jobs model, but is being rushed to enactment before most citizens and their elected representatives understand that, as presently structured, this product is a massive give away to special interests, and, if used as intended, will cost everyone far more than we gain.


There is still time. Education and prevention are the best and cheapest form of consumer and public protection. Together we can!


Please click on the link to the right to make a donation, and click here to read a letter from CSM President Scott Harshbarger.

Suffolk Downs Owner's Donations to Politicians' Charities: Statement of Scott Harshbarger

This morning, the Boston Globe reported that Suffolk Downs owner Richard Fields has contributed $16,000 to charities closely associated with Boston Mayor Thomas Menino & East Boston state Senator Anthony Petrucelli, a move the Boston Globe said "helped both politicians maintain their political profiles" over the past two years.

Below is a statement from former Attorney General Scott Harshbarger, president of Citizens for a Stronger Massachusetts, in reaction to this globe article.

"This morning's Boston Globe highlights yet another instance of the looming shadows stretching into our political, social and now even nonprofit culture by the greedy insiders and shady players that dominate the casino industry. There is clearly much here for the State Ethics Commission, the Attorney General and even the Senate Ethics Committee to review and, if the allegations are true, investigate.

"People ought to be expecting questions about these suspiciously-timed donations during debate today and the public should wonder why the leadership of the House, Senate and Governor Patrick are not seeing that one of the costs of the industry's harmful impacts is the fact that it is already tainting the decisions allegedly being made to help our Commonwealth."

Click here for a link to the full article.

Herald: Deleo Staffer Questioned Casinos' Benefits

In a report drafted while working for then state representative Daniel Bosley, current Deleo aide James C. Kennedy described casino proponents' motives as "unscrupulous." In the report, Mr. Kennedy went on to say that the commonwealth will, "with a bit of luck, scarcely break even."

CSM Member Kathleen Conley Norbut was quoted in the article, the full text of which is available here.

CSM Report: Top 10 Problems with Gambling Bill, Legislative Conflicts of Interest

The past 24-hours have seen a major upheaval in the debate over casinos and expanded gambling. After an actual debate broke out on the Senate floor, Senators went behind closed doors to hash out an agreement on a one-year ‘cooling off’ period before legislators could take jobs at casinos. This debate exposes one in a litany of problems in this casino bill, one of 10 highlighted by Citizens for a Stronger Massachusetts on the eve of the Senate debate.

What issue will Senators ‘discover’ next? More problems affecting local arts groups? We have several recommendations of badly-needed fixes before this bill proceeds.

“We urge everyone to take a good, hard look at this list of just 10 fatal flaws with this wrong-headed boondoggle disguised as a jobs and revenue plan for the Commonwealth,” said Scott Harshbarger, president of Citizens for a Stronger Massachusetts. “We’re thrilled people are starting to awaken to the follies in this bill and commend Senate leadership for encouraging true debate. Now’s the time where that promise meets reality and Senators need to act to fix – or reject – this bill.”

Click here for a link to the CSM Report.


The Boston Globe has also picked up and reported on the watering-down of the cooling off period from five years to one. Click here to read an article explaining the legislature's doublespeak rationalization of the reduction: "that a strong prohibition would only feed the public’s perception that lawmakers cannot be trusted." And click here to read a Globe editorial criticizing the same.

Statement of Scott Harshbarger, President of Citizens for a Stronger Massachusetts

On Tuesday, CSM President Scott Harshbarger Responded to a Boston Globe article detailing the patronage and corruption that legalized gambling has brought to Pennsylvania. Mr. Harshbarger's statement:

The grand jury report about the troubling situation in Pennsylvania isn’t just a cautionary tale for Massachusetts, it’s the norm when the casino culture is allowed nearly unfettered entry into a state. Our leaders are poised to hand unprecedented power to a newly-created, taxpayer and casino-funded commission that will be the welcome-wagon for a new wave of Beacon Hill corruption, waste and scandal. At best, our leaders are saying the obvious won’t happen here. At worst, they are on the cusp of opening the door to untold new scandals created by an industry that consistently defies law enforcement  and regulatory controls.

Globe: PA Casinos Bring Profits, Corruption

Pennsylvania's foray into casino gambling should be viewed as a cautionary tale by Massachusetts lawmakers, reported the Boston Globe on Sunday. The Keystone State, which legalized casinos in 2004, has been unable or unwilling to control the corruption, patronage, and back-room dealings that have become commonplace in the halls of government. In part due to poorly drafted legislation, individuals with felony convictions, mob ties, and at least one person accused of throwing his girlfriend from a 23rd story building were all approved for licenses or for employment within the gambling supervisory agency.

A Grand Jury investigation concluded, among other things, that "[n]o applicant was ever deemed unsuitable, despite its clear existence in some cases."

To read the entire article, click here.