Pa Gaming Chief: Move Investigations To AG

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The new head of the board that regulates Pennsylvania casinos says he favors moving the board's investigation unit into the state attorney general's office.

State House Republicans have long sought to move the Gaming Control Board's Bureau of Investigations and Enforcement to the attorney general's office and this past week, William Ryan – the new gaming board chairman – told a House committee that he, too, supports such a move.

Ryan says the gaming board is a quasi-judicial body and that BIE is an investigative unit - meaning that "common sense" dictates there should be a wall between the two. But he says that doesn't make for good management or government.

"BIE, as I see it, right now, is unaccountable to anybody. That, to me, is poor management. You couldn't have it in the private sector," said Ryan.

Ryan, meanwhile, said he does not support legislation to limit the gaming board's ability to deliberate casino license applications in private saying such a move would limit frank discussion necessary to properly vet applications.

Reported By Tony Romeo, KYW Newsradio