Monday, June 21, 2010

Coakley Criticizes Casino Crime Bill

It doesn't go far enough. From the SHNS:
COAKLEY SAYS GAMBLING BILL’S CRIME PROTECTION NOT ENOUGH: In an unusual break with ally Senate President Therese Murray, Attorney General Martha Coakley on Monday told senators that leadership’s casino bill would “significantly limit law enforcement’s ability to protect the public” and urged them to strengthen the measure with House-backed language she had proposed last year. The bill headed to the floor Wednesday is too narrow, Coakley said, because language restricting prosecution to activities directly affecting gaming creates a loophole “that would allow many significant criminal players … to avoid prosecution and continue to threaten public safety.” In a letter delivered to senators Monday and obtained by the News Service, Coakley used the example of a prostitution ring in a town neighboring a casino. She said the ring’s leader could escape prosecution because the activity could be considered not directly affecting gaming. “The Senate gaming proposal limits the tools that law enforcement needs to get these bad actors off the streets so that legitimate business opportunities can flourish,” Coakley wrote. She asked senators to adopt the “enterprise crime amendment” filed by Sen. Steven Baddour. 2:41 P.M.

4 comments:

Gladys Kravitz said...

Yeah, so basically, Martha gets embarrassed (again) into doing her job (after a former AG writes a letter to the legislature with seven principles for a safer Commonwealth) and, instead of coming out against casinos, because they create crime, and hence crime victims, she says she'll be OK if they just adopt the “enterprise crime amendment” filed by Sen. Steven Baddour.

Unacceptable, Martha. Taxpayers don't pay you just to be a bureaucrat with a law degree.

Mark Belanger said...

I think we should legalize smoking in all public places in Massachusetts so that every bar and restaurant can be just as primitive and stupid as the proposed casino - with it's special exemption for smoking bans. That might encouraged increased smoking which will increase our cigarette tax revenue. At the same time, we'll ignore the costs to the economy from smoking-related health problems.

I say if we're going to be stupid let's go all in for stupid and undo every smart thing we've accomplished in the last 100 years.

Middleboro Remembers said...

Anyone who has endured reading the last incarnation of this disaster (especially after reading the first 2) doesn't need a law degree to recognize how grossly flawed it is.

Martha's tepid 'testimony' was rather pathetic under the circumstances, but then she only raises the banner on non-controversial issues.

Never mind the smoking!

How about free alcohol and the loan provision???

So much for the pretense of attempting to reduce addiction, but actually catering to BIG CASINOS!

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