According to sources, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) has voted to uphold the decision to deny granting Walter Case Jr. a license to participate in racing in the Bay State. At this time, the specific reasons for the denial of Case's appeal are not known.
I do believe the decision of the MGC is incorrect, but respect their decision. If Case was not granted a license in 2008, I would better understand the decision to deny Case a license at this time, but how do you license someone one year and then deny the person a subsequent license when the person has not had any negative actions since previously being given a license; one would think if anything, it would have improved his chances of getting licensed.
Of course, the 1,000 lb guerrilla in the room is a slots parlor license. Whereas in 2008, Plainridge Racecourse President Gary Piontkowski championed Case's return to the sulky, no such public statements of support were forthcoming this time around, perhaps since PRC is seeking the slot parlor license? In addition, the Massachusetts Racing Commission which was in existence in 2008 was the group which granted Case a license but was replaced by the MGC as part of the legislation legalizing casino gambling in the state, so it appears the MGC has applied a higher standard in deciding to deny Case a license. The reported hearing officer Gayle Cameron, being an appointee of the Attorney General and a former New Jersey State Police Lieutenant Colonel likely didn't help Case's appeal.
While not necessarily a fatal blow to Case's attempt to resume his driving career, being denied a license in the one state which had licensed him since his past legal troubles has to be a major setback as racing in Massachusetts would have provided Case the opportunity to prove his previous run ins with racing officials are a thing of the past. Hopefully, another state (or province) will provide Case with a conditional license to provide him the opportunity to show he has changed his ways and is worthy of a full license elsewhere, or where failing to conduct himself appropriately could lead to revocation of the license.
2 comments:
Gayle Cameron being chosen as judge, jury, and essentially, executioner, was a poor move by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. IMO, this was a conflict of interest. The hearing should have been conducted by an independent arbitrator with no ties to either Plainridge, the Gaming Commission, or the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
I'm on the other side of the Case debate. Considering what he did while racing, he shouldn't have been licensed as long as he was. He not only repeatedly broke the rules, but he often didn't bother to pay the fines.
To Leo Burns, I say Go, Go, Go.
To Walter Case, I say Go Away and Stay Away.
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