Letters to the Editor
Justice and Mercy in the Land of the Brave
In the health care reform debate Christians need to keep in mind a core value of our tradition, namely a disposition of compassion and mercy to the poor, the victimized, and the stranger at the gate (see the Gospels for details!) The ways and means of caring for such persons vary. But without a heart inclined toward compassion and justice we simply don’t deserve to be called Christians, or “Christ-like ones.”
After first asking it of themselves, Christians can and should ask: What kind of heart is our nation cultivating?
Many Americans who have been to Canada, England, or certain European countries are often shocked at the medical treatment we receive as guests. No insurance cards are required. Little or no payment is required, and yet in most cases the treatment is as good as we get in this country.
Is it free? Of course not. It’s costly. But it’s been paid for by the citizens of those countries who have chipped in to make that kind of care possible.
T. R. Reid of The Washington Post visited those and other nations to find out how they did it. The financial mechanisms, he discovered, differed from country to country. But what they had in common was a commitment to get it done.
It’s a complicated problem, but I believe our nation will figure it out. My faith is based on the universal manifestations of the great spirit of love and on the success of two nearly impossible projects our nation undertook in the past.
At one time, education in this country was private. Only the rich could afford it. There was no public alternative. Thomas Jefferson advocated an educational system for all. Jefferson’s idea was rejected. But the idea was too good to suppress forever. Beginning in 1840 our nation committed itself to providing education for all. How? We all chipped in. It was an unprecedented undertaking. To be sure, public education is far from perfect, but we keep working at it because we believe education is a right.
The other project was legislation to clean up our soil, air, and water. In the 1970s a consensus emerged. Citizens demanded clean air, water, and soil as a right. We didn’t know exactly how to get it done. We simply told our representatives to get it done. And they did. Not perfectly, but far better than it was. We have a right to clean air, soil and water.
Can we find a way to care for the health of all our citizens? I think so. And it begins with a longing to see justice and mercy done in the land of the free and the brave.
Randall Tremba, Minister
Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church
In response to “an Epic Chat”
In September’s “Epic Chat” interview, Penn National (PNGI) executive Al Britton says that horsemen support table games, and they have a letter to prove it. Britton doesn’t outline the rocky events preceding the letter, which call into question support by the horsemen.
On April 22, 2008 Lenny Hale, HBPA executive director, requested a meeting with PNGI to resolve ongoing issues between horsemen and management. Three days later PNGI’s John Finamore wrote back, “. . . we are unable to meet with you to discuss anything until the HBPA pledges its support of table games.” In autumn 2008, HBPA’s general body voted NOT to support table games. Despite the vote, the HBPA board, in a contentious 6-5 vote, voted to write the support letter, dated October 8, 2008. Clearly, PNGI wrangled the letter from the horsemen through coercive tactics.
Since then, horsemen have seen the devastating effects of table games on purses at Mountaineer. Major inequities in distribution of profits will seriously harm our local horsemen and farmers. What advantage is gaining 500 jobs if you lose 3,500 jobs in local horse and agriculture businesses?
All voters should look long and hard at provisions of the bill to see if it is a good deal for Jefferson County. I’ve done a lot of research, and have created a Power Point presentation of what the bill legislates. I am available to show my presentation to you or your organization. If you would like to see what table games would mean to Jefferson County, look for the Table Games Facts Presentation sign at 115 W. Washington St., Charles Town, 3–5pm, Monday through Friday, and 9am–noon on Saturdays
Let’s all vote, but only after we get the real facts on table games. Let’s get back to making this the “Best Little Horse House in the Country.”
Janene Watson
jadiwatson@comcast.net
Charles Town, WV
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Janine Watson and her husband Dick Watson admitted a few years ago to taking money and using property of the HBPA in Charles Town. I believe she’s also banned from PNGI property. Do you think that might cloud her judgement on this issue? I do. See http://yesontablegames.wordpress.com/files/2009/09/watson-admission-letter.pdf for a copy of the admission letter she and her husband signed.
I believe that information is quite relevant to her creditility as “representing” horsemen. If I were a horsemen, I don’t think I’d want her representing me…
Al Britton, General Manager of CTRS stated: “We didn’t think a better deal was likely to get passed… We didn’t have a real role. We were supportive but we didn’t get our lobbyists involved.”
One can see how hard CTRS works on Jefferson County’s behalf; about as much as it works on the horsemen’s behalf: not at all. CTRS only cares about PNGI profit.
If Maryland getting slots will take away CTRS revenue 40%, why did PNGI/CTRS contribute $2 million to the pro-slots efforts in Maryland?
Like Senator Unger said, Jefferson County’s share is “peanuts” compared to what CTRS is getting.
As usual, Eric never tells the whole story. It’s what we’ve come to expect from Penn National & its spokesman: the tactics of using a smear campaign to distract from the REAL issues.
The whole story includes the fact that the Watsons returned every penny they borrowed—with interest. No crime was committed and in fact they are on excellent terms with the HBPA, who saw it for was it was, an error in judgment. Later, the HBPA elected them to be honorary members in appreciation of their many years of past service. Moreover, the HBPA is helping them in their legal battle to fight “exclusion” [the track’s banning them from PNGI property]. They have never been denied a valid WV racing license. PNGI has excluded them as retribution for their speaking up for horsemen.
The real scandal is how the track uses exclusion as a heavy handed tactic to intimidate horsemen. Another favored intimidation tactic is taking stalls away from horsemen who disagree with management.
Perhaps Eric’s sense of morality is offended by the Watson’s prior error. Perhaps then he should re-think working for Penn National. Doesn’t he know that Penn National is a repeat offender in Illinois for violating rules marketing to gambling addicts? They were fined not once, not twice, but three times. They were fined a total of $1.6 million dollars from 2005 to 2008. The 2008 penalty of $800,000 was the largest penalty ever levied by the Illinois Gambling Board.
So if Eric as spokesman for Penn National wants to question the Watson’s credibility for a past error, Penn National’s blatant disregard for the law makes me question theirs. As the Good Book says, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?”
Coincidentally, here’s an article published yesterday in Bloodhorse Magazine about the Watsons and exclusion… doesn’t seem “arbitrary” to me… a racetrack ought to have the right to exclude anyone who demonstrates a propensity to defraud like the Watsons did…
(if the link doesn’t work, copy and paste it into a browser)
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/52905/wv-court-panel-cant-hear-exclusion-cases
Looks like the Kanawha County Circuit Court disagrees with you.
I’m amazed that you consider stealing from the HBPA just an “error in judgement”. I guess Bernie Madoff just made an “error in judgement” too. Or, using your logic, if Madoff paid back everything he took “with interest” would it be OK? Do you really think the Watsons would have paid anything back had they not be caught?
The Kanawha County Circuit Judge just signed the proposed order CTRS attorneys wrote, he did not write it himself. Under the opinion written by CTRS’s attorneys, any horseman could be *excluded* for any or no reason at all based on the subjective discretion of CTRS management. The threat of arbitrary exclusions is very real under this opinion.
The Racing Commission has plenary power over all racing activities; whether it is the licensees of track management, or occupational permit holders like owners and trainers. While CTRS would probably want to eliminate the Racing Commission altogether and have it be the final decision maker on every matter, the law does not give them such authority. The WV Supreme Court will have the final say on this issue, which goes to the heart of CTRS/PNGI’s intimidation tactics against those occupational permit holders who are not its yes men or women.
Please define this “propensity to defraud” standard. Seems like it could be arbitrarily applied but for a racing commission or court of law holding track managements’ accountable.
Here’s my definition of “propensity to defraud”: “has actually defrauded someone in the past”. That, to me, as an auditor and CPA in the “trust” business is a “propensity to defraud”. I have seen bank tellers who can’t resist the urge to pocket a $20 and teachers running Faculty Senate dollars who can’t resist the urge to write checks to themselves. Either way, its fraud and once you show me that you are willing to do it, I lose any and all trust that you won’t do it again. By that definition, the Watsons clearly have a “propensity to defraud” and if I were CTR&S I’d definitely exclude them. If you steal from your own HBPA, the entity you are President and Exec Director of, in my opinion, you have forfeited your right to participate in the legal activity of racing. Pure & simple. I remain amazed that you are defending these actions as an “error in judgement”.
And now we also find you questioning the judgement of the Kanawha Circuit Judge and basically saying he or she didn’t think for themselves in this case. Again… amazing. Now, if the Circuit Judge had agreed with your position they he/she surely would have been “right”… but since he didn’t he must be in the pocket of PNGI. Amazing…
Eric, so you agree with CTRS lawyers that CTRS can exclude any occupational permit holder for any or no reason?
The Watson case has ramifications for every person involved in horse and dog racing in West Virginia – that management can exclude you if they don’t like you.
While you want to focus on the Watsons, (what we’ve come to expect from Penn National & its spokesman: the tactics of using a smear campaign to distract from the REAL issues) I prefer to look at the bigger picture.
My position (and the law in my opinion – see below) is that CTRS has the common law right to exclude patrons. CTRS may exclude occupational permit holders for good reasons, bad reasons, or no reason at all, but the exclusion is subject to an independent regulator – the WV Racing Commission. Judge King’s ruling gives preference to one licensee (CTRS management) over another (occupational permit holders). This arcane common law right to exclude permit holders without appeal was rejected by our legislature years ago.
Racing Commission Rule 4.7 of Legislative Rule 178-1 states that “all occupational permit holders who are ejected have the right of appeal to the Racing Commission.”
CTRS/PNGI was able to convince a Kanawha County Circuit judge that their common law right to exclude anyone for any or no reason is unfettered despite the plain language of the above rule. My reading of the above rule gives excluded occupational permit holders a right of appeal to the Racing Commission and I think the West Virginia Supreme Court will agree with me, just as the West Virginia Racing Commission has already ruled that CTRS must prove why its exclusions are justified. (Chevron deference does not apply here?)
Eric, you have a terrible habit of trying to speak for me and spin my words to something I never stated.
You stated:
“And now we also find you questioning the judgement [sic] of the Kanawha Circuit Judge and basically saying he or she didn’t think for themselves in this case. Again… amazing. Now, if the Circuit Judge had agreed with your position they he/she surely would have been “right”… but since he didn’t he must be in the pocket of PNGI. Amazing…”
I stated:
“The Kanawha County Circuit Judge just signed the proposed order CTRS attorneys wrote, he did not write it himself.”
Your spin is completely devoid of any fact, but full of your questionable opinions and mischaracterizations (at best) of what I stated (unless you are aware that he is in the pocket of PNGI?). I actually had a lot of respect for Judge King until this latest decision. He granted my father’s injunction against the WV Racing Commission when it suspended his occupational permit without any due process. He ordered an independent hearing examiner to decide the issue with the right to contest the allegations against him. The stewards suspended his license without any opportunity to contest the allegations against him, thus denying him any due process. With due process, the bogus allegations by the stewards, and some board members of the HBPA, were proved to be just that – without merit.
Judge King’s injunction granted to CTRS regarding its purported unfettered exclusion rights against occupational permit holders reaches an absurd result where the regulators, the Racing Commission, have no power over the regulated, CTRS.
When the CEO of PNGI, Peter Carlino, told the Jefferson County Commission in 2007 that my father would be persona non grata at CTRS if he weren’t president of the HBPA, Judge King’s most recent order amazes me.
I am an occupational permit holder. Do you think CTRS should be able to exclude me, without any right of appeal, for no reason? What if CTRS excluded me because I am vocal about the many problems I perceive in the table games legislation? Should I not have a right of appeal?
Eric: I take it your silence establishes that you agree with CTRS management on every issue. Please correct me if I am wrong.
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