That casino scandal in Rhode Island continues to deepen. Gov. Gina Raimondo‘s chief of staff, Brett Smiley, is accused of making threats against Twin River Casino. When the governor pitched a no-bid, 
sweetheart lottery contract for International Game Technology, Smiley wrote to Twin River. “He asked me not to go scorched earth and oppose the deal,” according to casino Executive Vice President Marc Crisafulli, in a letter to lawmakers who are examining the controversial IGT deal. Smiley allegedly threatened Twin River with a regulatory probe if it publicly went against the contract. (Twin River did anyway.) “Mr. Smiley’s message was crystal clear: If Twin River opposed the IGT legislation, which was being introduced that day, we would suffer regulatory consequences with the state,” Crisafulli wrote.
Calling on Raimondo to axe Smiley if Crisafulli is telling the truth, Republican Party Chairwoman Sue Cienki said, “This is a serious allegation which needs to be investigated. It is inappropriate for a Rhode Island government official to threaten consequences to any business or person who chooses to exercise their First Amendment rights by expressing an opinion on legislation.” Added Speaker of the House Nicholas Mattiello, “Political threats of retaliation at the highest level of government coming directly from the governor’s office should not be tolerated.”
Smiley, for his part, pooh-poohs the exchange as a “courtesy call,” adding that he made no threats nor quid pro quo. “He was not happy with that news and it was a tense call,” Smiley said of Crisafulli. As for Raimondo, 
she wants a quick ratification of the contract, while lawmakers aren’t promising any action before year’s end. IGT—a george Raimondo donor—has made veiled threats of taking its 1,000 jobs out of state and Twin River is increasing the pressure on the governor’s office to get the lottery contract for itself. The controversial Smiley, once a failed mayoral candidate for Providence, is the muscle behind Raimondo’s throne, depicted by the Boston Globe as the man who rarely says yes to supplicants.
Twin River, for its part, is having a hard time making the case to run the lottery. Crisafulli has been forced to concede that Twin River couldn’t generate as many jobs or as much salary. “There’s a point at which the 
requirement is too high,” Crisafulli told legislators. “If you told me the requirement was a payroll of $110 million for 20 years, I would tell you that we could not do that economically … we simply can’t do that.” So much for Twin River’s previous claims that it could match IGT job for job, or better. Sports betting is help Twin River weather new competition from Encore Boston Harbor. A lottery contract, obviously, would help even more, especially if it could lock it in through 2043, as the IGT one does.
Raimondo, meanwhile, tried to reassure the electorate, saying that “absolutely no one” in her administration threatened Twin River. Even so, the IGT contract is a pit into which Raimondo seems to sink a little bit more with each passing day.
