Seneca Nation Hires Delaware North Lobbyist For New Gaming Compact
On Sunday, Last Real Indians published an in-depth analysis of Delaware North and their involvement in the Seneca gaming dispute with New York State. One day later, Chris Bragg, writer for the Albany news source Times Union, published an article revealing more on the aforementioned connection. Similarly, in today’s edition of The Buffalo News, United States Congressman (and Democratic candidate for NYS governor) Tom Suozzi published a scathing editorial, calling for a public hearing of the $564 million Seneca payment to New York State; says Suozzi “Who knows if these are all coincidences, yet why was this ‘deal of the century’ announced with only four days before the state budget was due and is being rammed through without so much as a public hearing?” In this article, we will be discussing some of the “coincidences” mentioned by Suozzi.
Separate from the deep dive report available in our previous article, Times Union writer Chris Bragg uncovered state filings which reveal the following: “Late last year, a top Albany lobbying firm, Dickinson & Avella, reported lobbying four top state budget officials — including state budget director Robert Mujica — on behalf of Delaware North. The topic was the ‘Seneca Nation Compact,’ according to state records.” The filing cited by Bragg can be viewed here.
In his article, Bragg states, “in the discussions with Hochul's administration, Delaware North was trying to shape certain aspects of a new gambling compact between the Seneca Nation and New York”; diving deeper, Bragg continues; “Late last year, according to the Division of Budget, Delaware North was pressing for ‘changes to operational restrictions placed upon them by the Seneca Compact’…”
One could make the argument that Delaware North made the change from their former lobbyist, Bolton-St Johns (BSJ), to Dickinson & Avella; in order to avoid any conflict of interest or raised eyebrows from the public. The contract between Delaware North and BSJ was last amended on January 1, 2021 and is listed as “ongoing” by JCOPE; however, a Delaware North spokesperson told New York Post “When Bolton-St Johns supported Delaware North, we never worked with Mr. Hochul, Mr. Keogh did not ever do work for Delaware North, and Bolton-St Johns’ contract ended with Delaware North in February 2021,” adding; “Keogh’s name was only on the forms out of an abundance of caution.”
Some context: New York State Governor Kathy Hochul’s secretary, Karen Persichilli, is married to Michael Keogh; a lobbyist who filed a barrage of reports between BSJ and Delaware North in recent years. Keogh is also named on other gaming advocacy contract(s) for Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe. Of this conflict of interest, Congressman Suozzi states; “The secretary to the governor – the highest appointed position in the governor’s office – is married to the chief lobbyist for Delaware North. Yet as was reported by The [Buffalo] News, Hochul’s recusal letter assigns the responsibility of dealing with Delaware North to her secretary. There is no justification for that whatsoever.” Governor Kathy Hochul’s husband, William Hochul, is employed as general counsel and senior VP of Delaware North.
Similarly, former New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo’s secretary Melissa DeRosa is daughter of Georgio DeRosa, leading partner at BSJ. So what’s the deal with BSJ?
Up until February of 2021, BSJ had a signed agreement with Delaware North “to provide Delaware North Companies, Inc. for the benefit of Delaware North Companies, Inc. (“Client”) with legislative and regulatory representation in New York State and The City of New York.” JCOPE reports BSJ Filing period 2021 on behalf of Delaware North “REGARDING ONGOING ISSUES WITH SPORTS BETTING IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK"
February 12, 2022 - BSJ signed an agreement with the Seneca Nation of Indians “to provide Seneca Nation of Indians for the benefit of Seneca Nation of Indians (“Client”) with executive, legislative and regulatory representation for gaming, including the negotiation of a 2023 Compact with New York State from February 1, 2022 through January 31, 2023 for a monthly fee of $15,000.”
So BSJ will be handling lobbying of the negotiation of the 2023 gaming compact between the Seneca Nation of Indians and New York State, on behalf of the Seneca Nation of Indians. Splendid. It seems a bit odd that the Seneca Nation of Indians would select BSJ for such an important task, considering the latter’s relationship with Governor Hochul and Delaware North. Says Congressman Suozzi, “Furthermore, the Seneca Nation, which coincidentally paid a huge $564 million to the state under protest, is a major competitor with – you guessed it – Delaware North.”
March 8, 2022 - BSJ signed an agreement with the City of Niagara Falls, NY agreeing “to provide the City of Niagara Falls for the benefit of the City of Niagara Falls (“Client”) with legislative and regulatory representation in New York State from March 1, 2022, through February 28, 2023, for a monthly fee of $4,000.” The City of Niagara Falls, NY is host to the Seneca Niagara Casino and will receive $38.9 million from the $564 million Seneca payment to New York State. The agreement between BSJ and the city was signed and approved by Mayor Robert Restaino unilaterally without a vote from city council.
Most of this happened in the weeks leading up to the Seneca Nation of Indians paying New York State $564 million on March 28th; after a public scramble due to the state freezing Seneca bank accounts. The very next day, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that $418 million from the Seneca payout would help fund the new Buffalo Bills stadium; and that same day the Department of the Interior issued new draft regulations that could have tipped the scales in the Seneca’s favor, had they not rushed to pay the state just one day prior. This all sort of comes across like a game between the Washington Generals and the Harlem Globetrotters.
Of course, the Harlem Globetrotters never actually compete against the Washington Generals, right? It’s all scripted and rehearsed; made to look like an actual sporting event with the Globetrotters always coming out on top. All of these events happening one day apart (or in some cases, in tandem); it’s all just one big coincidence, innit?
