Why PA gambling board bars PA Treasurer from secret meetings
McCord, as an elected PA politician, could corrupt the PA gambling board, the casino overseers say
In May, PA State Treasurer Rob McCord sued to force the state Gaming Control Board to let him into secret casino board meetings, as an elected representative of the people responsible for monitoring their money. But the board doesn't want him there. Why not? Because PA's contribution-dependent politicians (who created and appoint the board) can't be trusted, the board claims in its Commonwealth Court response to McCord's suit:
"From 2007 to 2009, [Pennsylvania state] Treasurer [Rob] McCord accepted campaign contributions of more than $80,000 from lobbyists registered with the Board as representatives of [the Foxwoods casino] and from lawyers and firms that have, in the past or currently, appeared as counsel for Foxwoods...
"On December 27, 2008, Treasurer McCord accepted a campaign donation from the law firm representing a disappointed applicant for a Philadelphia [casino] license, Keystone Redevelompent Partners LLC ("Trump"), this just nine days after Trump, by and through the same law firm, filed suit in federal court against the board members."
The board's members "do not suggest that these contributions to Treasurer McCord resulted in any actual corruption, but they certainly raise the potential appearance of corruption..." Read the board's full response here (.pdf).