Massachusetts Gaming Authority Head Under Scrutiny to Step Down
For Stephen P. Crosby, things haven't been going smoothly. Recently, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission chairman stepped down from talks regarding the multiple casino proposals in Greater Boston due to concerns regarding his impartiality. Now, his decision has resulted in many officials and critics urging him to resign from his position to enable the casino licensing process to proceed without turmoil.
The saga started when Crosby acknowledged that a few of his actions could compromise his fairness while awarding a Greater Boston casino license. The two remaining possibilities seem to be the Wynn Resorts project in Everett and the Mohegan Sun-endorsed proposition at the Suffolk Downs racecourse in Revere.
Latest Party the Last in a Series of Mistakes for Crosby
The most recent misstep happened when Crosby attended a private party at Suffolk Downs, marking the opening of their racing season there. Although Crosby paid for the event, he still faced negative comments for seemingly improper behavior just before casino licenses were authorized in Massachusetts.
This was merely the newest in a series of controversial incidents, such as a lawsuit that Caesars Entertainment filed, accusing Crosby of having a bias against that company due to his connection with an Everett landowner involved in the Wynn proposal.
"During the past few months, my behavior and judgment concerning the parties involved in the decision have been questioned, sometimes in genuine manner, sometimes not," Crosby stated before his recusal. "Honestly, neither I nor any of the commissioners have any doubt about my abilities to remain neutral in the decision-making process."
A number of officials had been urging Crosby to resign for quite a while, resulting in them viewing his decision as belated but still appreciated.
"The Massachusetts Legislature placed extra rigorous ethical standards on the Gaming Commission that prohibited commissioners from voting if they had a previous financial link with a candidate," observed former Massachusetts Inspector General Gregory Sullivan. "It would have been proper for him to withdraw from the start, although I am relieved that he has finally done it."
Candidates Urge Crosby's Resignation
Despite his withdrawal, the criticism against his term in office persisted. Several candidates for governor demanded Crosby's exit from the commission to restore trust in the process.
Among these were Democrats Steve Grossman, Martha Coakley, and Juliette Kayyem, as well as Republicans Charlie Baker and Independent candidate Evan Falchuk.
"The chance of a 2-2 tie is quite real," mentioned Baker, highlighting a problem with the current four-member panel handling the Greater Boston licensing debate. "I've known Steve for years. He's a decent guy who has always been prepared to serve the public. However, we have a numerical issue here."
"When the chairman, who is the spokesperson and representative of the gaming commission, is incapable of playing the essential leadership function he needs to perform all the time, it compromises the commission's ability to carry out its tasks," Grossman added.
Following his exclusion, the remaining board members voted unanimously to reject Boston's host status for both Everett or Revere proposals. Boston Mayor Martin Walsh expressed that the city is contemplating all strategies, including taking legal action.
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