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Former Casino Agency Director Wants Casino

NEW JERSEY – As reported by the New Jersey Courier Post: "The former director of the state agency that doles out casino taxes to redevelopment projects now wants to build his own gambling hall -- well before the two-year "cooling off" period dictated by state ethics rules has lapsed.

"And that's apparently allowed, in part because it will take years before the gaming floors could be opened.

"Cape May developer Curtis Bashaw, who also became a personal adviser to then-Gov. James E. McGreevey, is part of a group seeking to purchase a tract on Atlantic City's southern end, near the border with Margate, according to published reports.

"…Until a year ago, Bashaw had been the $137,500 a year director of the state Casino Reinvestment Development Authority. The CRDA, created in 1984, takes portions of taxes paid by casinos and distributes them to development projects of its choosing.

"State ethics canons say Bashaw cannot in any way represent interests, or be involved, in seeking a casino license or in running a casino for at least two years after leaving his CRDA job.

"He left CRDA 12 months ago. Today he is in the news to land a casino deal. But he is apparently treading carefully by not formally engaging state regulators among whom he worked shoulder to shoulder just a year ago…"

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