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Senator Defends Pennsylvania Gaming Board Pick

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania – (PRESS RELEASE) -- Sen. Tommy Tomlinson (R-6) today defended the Governor's selection of Frank Friel to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board against attacks on his character by gambling opponents.

Sen. Tomlinson, whose slot machine plan created the toughest oversight of the gaming industry in the nation, responded to Sen. Jeff Piccola's (R-15) call for the Governor to rescind his appointment based on an unsubstantiated claim from the Pennsylvania Crime Commission, which was abolished for making public allegations without giving its targets an opportunity to exonerate themselves.

"Sen. Piccola has been a vocal opponent of slot machine gaming since Day One, so it should come as no surprise that he would take this opportunity to cast doubt upon the Gaming Control Board. It is unfortunate that he has chosen to sully the reputation of an honest man and one of the finest police officers our area has ever produced, simply to embarrass the Governor for his own personal political gain."

During his tenure as a Philadelphia police officer and as Bensalem's director of public safety, Friel earned a great deal of experience in working with law enforcement at the state, local and federal level. Friel also improved a demoralized, politicized Bensalem police force, helping them earn national accreditation and grow into one of the best police forces in the state, Tomlinson said.

"My slots plan included numerous protections against organized crime, including strict background checks on anyone appointed to the Gaming Control Board," Sen. Tomlinson said. "Frank was already the subject of a number of lengthy background checks by the FBI before leading the Organized Crime Task Force, and they found nothing wrong with his record. I am confident that our stringent background check will yield the same result."

"I know Frank personally, and I've been very impressed with his integrity and his ability to cooperate with others to achieve his goals. I represent one of the communities that will host slot machines, so if I had any doubts about Frank's qualifications or ability to keep organized crime out of the gaming industry, I would not support his appointment. Knowing Frank's record of success in fighting organized crime and cooperation between all levels of law enforcement, I can say that there is no better person to serve on the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board than Frank Friel," Tomlinson said.

"Anyone who is familiar with Frank's record of combating organized crime would be appalled at these vicious attacks on his integrity and character. If Sen. Piccola is truly interested in eliminating corruption in the gaming industry, he should support this appointment instead of playing politics. That kind of politics only helps the bad guys."

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