{"id":133432,"date":"2020-04-18T16:00:34","date_gmt":"2020-04-18T23:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/?p=133432"},"modified":"2020-04-19T10:37:27","modified_gmt":"2020-04-19T17:37:27","slug":"missouri-gaming-commission-conflict-expands-investigation-demanded","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/missouri-gaming-commission-conflict-expands-investigation-demanded\/","title":{"rendered":"Missouri Gaming Commission Conflict Expands, Investigation Demanded"},"content":{"rendered":"

A proliferating dispute has broken out between some members of the Missouri Gaming Commission, as Executive Director David Grothaus is poised to resign within two weeks after he was reportedly frustrated in his efforts to cut costs at the agency.<\/p>\n

\"Missouri
Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway has been requested to undertake an audit of the state’s Gaming Commission. (Image: St. Louis Post-Dispatch)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This week, Commissioner Daniel Finney, a Democrat, alleged that commission Chairman Mike Leara, a Republican, withheld key information. It apparently relates to a vote taken in a private session, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n

But Leara told the newspaper the vote did not represent final action by the commission. As such, it apparently remains private.<\/p>\n

Things that were touched upon were just not things that are ready for public consumption,\u201d Leara told the Post-Dispatch<\/em>. \u201cIt was an uncomfortable moment, but I\u2019m not going to get into a back and forth.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Finney also wants an inquiry on Leara, the report said. Finney has additionally requested the state once again audit the regulatory agency.<\/p>\n

The request was made to State Auditor Nicole Galloway. She is considering the proposal, the Post-Dispatch <\/em>said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Gaming Commission has brought in $300 million-$400 million in tax revenue every year for the last several years. It is an important and complex commission. It needs to be audited,\u201d Finney wrote in his request, the Post-Dispatch<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n

\n

Leara brushed off the proposed audit. \u201cMy reaction is \u2018why?\u2019\u201d Leara told the Post-Dispatch <\/em>earlier this week. \u201cI\u2019m not aware of anything that would require an audit.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

This week, the newspaper also reported Finney claims Leara wants the agency\u2019s deputy director to quit the post, just as the executive director is about to leave. Leara also said an \u201cinvestigation\u201d on himself \u201cis not a problem,” the Post-Dispatch<\/em> said.<\/p>\n

Highway Patrol, Gaming Commission Officials Disagree<\/h2>\n

The Post-Dispatch<\/em> earlier revealed Grothaus had claimed some members of the Missouri Highway Patrol<\/a>, who work at the state\u2019s 13 casinos, took part in \u201cguerrilla warfare\u201d after he tried to replace them with civilian employees. Civilian workers would receive less money than highway patrol officers.<\/p>\n

Patrol officers earn higher fringe benefits than civilians. The officers are also given \u201cexcessive vehicle expenditures that are not needed for the job they perform,\u201d Grothaus said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt now seems that there is more interest in protecting the assignments of highway patrol officers than in ensuring a sound, proactive, technically competent, top-notch regulatory MGC effort,\u201d Grothaus claimed in correspondence published by the Post-Dispatch<\/em>. \u201cIt has become obvious that the direction of the commission under my leadership is incompatible with the vision of certain commissioners.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI sense that much of the criticism of my management is in direct response to my effort to seek accountability for these expenses,\u201d Grothaus further wrote in the letter.<\/p>\n

Slot-Like Machines Banned<\/h2>\n

There also has been an ongoing dispute in Missouri over slot-like<\/a> gaming machines. Last month, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services banned using slot-like machines and other coin-operated devices located in gas stations and similar venues, according to the Post-Dispatch<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The Missouri ban will be in place for an indefinite period.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A proliferating dispute has broken out between some members of the Missouri Gaming Commission, as Executive Director David Grothaus is poised to resign within two weeks after he was reportedly frustrated in his efforts to cut costs at the agency. This week, Commissioner Daniel Finney, a Democrat, alleged that commission Chairman Mike Leara, a Republican, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":133433,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[61,13592],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nMissouri Gaming Commission Conflict Expands, Investigation Demanded<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Some members of the Missouri Gaming Commission are embroiled in a proliferating dispute. 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Executive Director David Grothaus is to resign within two weeks.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/missouri-gaming-commission-conflict-expands-investigation-demanded\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Casino.org\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Casino.OrgNews\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-04-18T23:00:34+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2020-04-19T17:37:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Nicole-Galloway.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"812\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Ed Silverstein\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@casinoorgedsilv\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Casino_Org\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Ed Silverstein\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/missouri-gaming-commission-conflict-expands-investigation-demanded\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/missouri-gaming-commission-conflict-expands-investigation-demanded\/\",\"name\":\"Missouri Gaming Commission Conflict Expands, Investigation Demanded\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/missouri-gaming-commission-conflict-expands-investigation-demanded\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/missouri-gaming-commission-conflict-expands-investigation-demanded\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Nicole-Galloway.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-04-18T23:00:34+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2020-04-19T17:37:27+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/b3771b02527bcbda9af984b9b1ff098e\"},\"description\":\"Some members of the Missouri Gaming Commission are embroiled in a proliferating dispute. 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