Casino news source: The Boston Globe - http://www.boston.com
Gambling opponents to march at State House
By April Simpson, Globe Staff | August 27, 2007
Opponents of casino gambling in Massachusetts plan to march outside the State House this morning in hopes of influencing the governor to reject a proposal for a casino in Middleborough.
Members of Casinofacts PAC and the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts said they planned today's protest to coincide with a meeting between representatives from the Regional Task Force on Casino Impacts and Daniel O'Connell, the state secretary of housing and economic development who has been advising Governor Deval Patrick on the casino issue.
The task force includes officials from 17 communities and two Southeastern Massachusetts planning agencies who want to be a part of the decision-making process at the state level. Patrick is expected to announce his position on gambling around Labor Day.
"This is not a quick fix for Massachusetts; it is not a fix at all," said Diane Jeffery, president of the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts. "It would be more draining on the economy than it would be beneficial."
The protest is planned amid a shift in leadership in the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe, which has been pushing to build a $1 billion casino.
On Friday, Glenn Marshall, the Mashpee Wampanoag leader who has presided over the tribe's casino effort, stepped aside after acknowledging that he was a convicted rapist and had lied about his military service.
The Associated Press, citing the Cape Cod Times, reported yesterday that one of five tribal members shunned by the tribal council in December has called for an emergency meeting of the tribe today to discuss the situation.
"Our people understand that we have been called to action and plan to follow up with Mr. Marshall's announcement," Michelle Fernandes said. "We're looking to prevent Glenn Marshall from returning to the tribal council."
But tribal vice chairman Shawn Hendricks, who has taken over Marshall's day-to-day duties since Friday, said that only he has the authority to call tribal council meetings.
"As vice chair of the tribal council, I will call official meetings of the tribe and in fact have called for a meeting of the tribal council to meet in executive session [Monday] evening to discuss the matters of the past week," Hendricks said in a statement issued yesterday afternoon.
Scott Ferson, a spokesman for the tribe who represents Hendricks, said the tribal council plans to discuss Marshall's decision to step down. He also said the council will move ahead with plans to build a casino.
The next step for the tribe is to file a petition with the federal government to take more than 500 acres of land in Middleborough and 100 acres in Mashpee into a trust.
Several casino opponents said yesterday that Marshall's departure has not affected their efforts, but Richard Young, president of Casinofacts, said he hopes the new tribal leadership is more open to meeting with his group.
"We, at some point, would love to meet with them and have a conversation," Young said.
A tribe spokesman did not return calls for comment.
Other opponents said Marshall's departure may prompt those who were swayed by his "spin on the casino" issue to reconsider.
"I think you can erase all that, and start rethinking," said Frank Dunphy, who sits on the board of directors of Middleborough-based Casinofacts.
The protesters, who plan to gather between 8:30 and 10:30 a.m., said they will wave signs that say "Stomp the Casino" and "No casino in Massachusetts." The closed meeting they are protesting is set to occur down the block at 1 Ashburton Place at 9 a.m. |
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