Culture of Casinos

Try this word association game.

When you hear the name "Jim Doyle," what's the first word that comes to mind?

CASINOS

Since Jim Doyle become governor, it seems that Wisconsin state government has become a subsidiary of the casinos.

The officials with ties to gaming interests, the millions of dollars -- new connections just keep popping up.

Casino influence permeates the Doyle administration. It's steeped in it.

Madison -- A state official who helped negotiate a casino agreement with the Oneida tribe previously worked for that tribe as a lobbyist.

Sean Dilweg, the chief aide to Administration Secretary Stephen Bablitch, said he did not believe his ties to the tribe constituted a conflict of interest. Dilweg lobbied for the tribe - along with two dozen other clients - in 2000 and 2001. In January 2003, he took the state job and immediately started working on negotiations with the Oneida and other tribes.

Dilweg noted that the deals he helped broker with the Oneida and the other tribes quadrupled the amount of money the tribes were to pay the state in 2004 for the right to operate casinos, bringing it to more than $100 million.

...Dilweg's brother, Rory, worked as a lawyer for the Oneida for six years, serving as interim chief counsel for two years.

...Rory Dilweg now works as a lawyer on behalf of the Menominee tribe, which is trying to establish a casino in Kenosha. He is navigating the tribe's application through the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs and is not a negotiator for the tribe.

...State Sen. Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau), co-chairman of the Legislature's Joint Finance Committee, said he didn't think Sean Dilweg should be interacting with the Menominee while his brother works for the tribe.

"You've got someone at the very tip-top of state government and, obviously, his brother's making great big money to do the work of the tribe," Fitzgerald said. "Legally, I don't know that there's anything wrong, but it sure doesn't look right."

As for the Oneida, Fitzgerald said he was concerned that Sean Dilweg had worked for the tribe a year before moving to the state. He said he was also troubled by Rory Dilweg's earlier involvement with the tribe.

...Assembly Speaker John Gard (R-Peshtigo), who is running for Green's congressional seat, said the situation cried out for legislative oversight of casinos.

"If the Legislature had more oversight, you would be able to eliminate any appearance of conflict of interest," Gard said.

Doyle twice vetoed bills allowing such oversight.

John Gard is right.

It's ridiculous that there's no legislative oversight.

There has to be some checks and balances.

It's time for King Jim's casino reign to be reined in.