Casino news source: Boston Herald - http://news.bostonherald.com
Narrow defeat for casino bill
Gov alleges ‘midnight maneuvers’
Casey Ross By Casey Ross
Thursday, March 20, 2008 - Updated 4m ago
Gov. Deval Patrick’s casino proposal suffered a narrow defeat yesterday when one lawmaker abruptly changed his vote after last-ditch lobbying by House Speaker Sal DiMasi, who was immediately accused of railroading the vote at the 11th hour.
“The midnight maneuvers last night and backing and forthing today I think speaks for itself,” Patrick said after a key legislative panel recommended against his bill. “You can’t have an open debate on the House floor with a maneuvered and engineered outcome.”
The accusations flew after the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Economic Development recommended against the governor’s three-casino bill, which appears headed for final defeat on the House floor today. Pro-casino lawmakers still promised to press for the bill last night.
The recommendation came after a bizarre chain of events in which committee leaders extended voting by four hours - from noon to 4 p.m. - due to procedural problems, thus allowing fierce lobbying to continue. The final tally was 10 to 8, with one abstention, after state Rep. Richard Ross switched his vote at almost the last possible minute.
“Only on Beacon Hill is the vote not over, even when it’s over,” said state Sen. Mark Montigny, a member of the economic development committee who voted in favor of Patrick’s proposal.
But DiMasi said he put no pressure on Ross and explained that the voting deadline was extended because House clerks determined lawmakers made a mistake by bundling Patrick’s bill with other measures during their deliberations.
Ross (R-Wrentham), who colleagues said struggled mightily with his decision, acknowledged that he was planning to vote in favor of casinos early yesterday, but then changed sides after meetings with DiMasi and state Rep. Daniel Bosley (D-North Adams).
Ross said, however, that he was most influenced by the arguments of Gary Piontkowski, an executive of Plainridge Racecourse, which is in Ross’ district. Piontkowski has argued for a separate gambling bill that would legalize slot machines at race tracks.
“When it came down to the wire, I was listening to Gary Piontkowski and some of the people very concerned with the governor’s proposal,” Ross said. “The interest of Plainridge told me they wanted an adverse (recommendation).”
Before Ross switched sides, the committee vote was 9 to 9, with one abstention, so his vote was decisive in changing the outcome of the critical tally, lawamkers said.
“Ross is a Republican,” DiMasi said, intimating that he would have little to offer to a member of the opposite party. “I’m sure he made his decision based on the best interests of his district. (I made) no deals, no bargains. Nothing.”
DiMasi met with Ross late Tuesday to persuade him to change his vote, and sources said the speaker continued to work on Ross and other members yesterday afternoon. |
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