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Money to Massachusetts Governor’s Anti-Pot Group Came Just Ahead of Casino Vote

Article by Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald

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Casino mogul Steve Wynn handed out $100,000 to Gov. Charlie Baker’s anti-pot legalization campaign one day before the state Gaming Commission gave the green light to Wynn’s planned Everett casino development, records show.

Wynn Resorts’ large donation was received by the Campaign for a Safe and Healthy Massachusetts on Tuesday, just 24 hours before the massive casino complex got final approval, clearing the way for construction to begin soon.

Baker, along with Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh and House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo,
formed the committee to defeat Question 4 — which would legalize the recreational use of
marijuana for adults 21 and over — and has made it a major political priority.

The governor partly controls the Gaming Commission, which voted unanimously on
Wednesday to approve the controversial casino development. Baker also stepped into the
casino fight earlier this year to resolve a dispute between Wynn and state environmental
regulators.

Wynn’s $100,000 contribution is his first to Baker’s anti-pot campaign, which has drawn
support from numerous business leaders and development companies regulated by the
state, as well as dozens of Bay State elected officials.