Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Clyde Barrow Took *Another* Casino Consultant Gig

Don't worry, Senator Pacheco, I don't blame you for being wrong. Even today, he's not being completely honest about his monetary connections to the industry, but at least he's admitting to the fact that they exist. From today's Herald:
A University of Massachusetts professor, who has billed himself as an objective voice in the long-running debate over casino gambling in the Bay State, is now a paid consultant for a gaming proponent in New Hampshire.
What's he being dishonest about?
Some gambling critics have long insisted Barrow has had at least indirect ties to the gambling industry in recent years. But Barrow said yesterday the Greenmeadow work is the first time since 1999 that he’s performed paid work for a gaming interest.
Of course, readers know that is false. Clyde Barrow took $15,000 as recently as 2008, from Maine's Yes on 2 campaign -- for consulting, again. Furthermore, his Center at UMASS Dartmouth takes on private clients. Just who would pay the tens of thousands of dollars for a comprehensive casino study in Massachusetts?

Governor Patrick's office tried to pooh-pooh the revelation, saying Barrow was 'just one' of its sources in coming up with its original casino plan. However, readers should remember that Governor Patrick's plan was Clyde Barrow's plan -- a fact I first pointed out two years ago. The people of Massachusetts, chief amongst them our chief policy makers and elected officials, have to know the truth about Clyde Barrow -- because his influence on this issue is deep and nefarious, based almost entirely on his faux-brand of impartiality as a UMASS professor.

Update: According to a South Coast paper, Barrow took $11k from the NH group. In the article, he was quoted scoffing at us ebil bloggers.
He described criticism from anti-casino advocates as a “character assassination” and “the only arrow they have left in their quiver.”
Now, my question: Does that sound like an unbiased, independent professor?

A reminder: In the Boston Herald article, Barrow said about the sum of his NH consultant pay, "it's really not that much." Who wouldn't take an extra $11k over 6 weeks, including a tenured college professor? Honesty, clearly, hasn't been one of Barrow's strong suits on the matter of his past work.

Finally, check out BMass's latest blog on Blue Mass Group on this latest Barrow revelation -- it's pretty freaking funny, proving that sometimes the best response to the absurd is mockery.

4 comments:

TruthtoPower said...

MSM is finally figuring out what you have known all along!

Mazeltov.

Ryan said...

It takes a long, long time for MSM conventional wisdom to change, but I'm glad for once that things seem to be heading in the right direction. That said, the casino lobby is powerful, well-heeled and hungry for a victory... they won't give up and they won't stop trying to control the dialogue.

Anonymous said...

Why CLT matters?

Barbara Anderson/CLT matters because Marian Walsh exists

Barbara Anderson/CLT matters because Sal DiMasi exists

Barbara Anderson/CLT matters because Diane Wilkerson exists

Anonymous said...

I know Mr Barrow very well and your conspiracy theories are just that. Stop trying to make him out to be some gangster.

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