MAYOR GIULIANI ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENTS TO THE NEW YORK CITY GAMBLING CONTROL COMMISSION
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today announced the appointment of five commissioners who will sit on the New York City Gambling Control Commission. Established under Local Law 57, the Commission was established to regulate shipboard gambling, protect New York City consumers from fraudulent practices, and prevent offshore gambling from providing opportunities for organized crime.
The Mayor also named one of the appointees, attorney Kenneth Caruso, to chair the Commission. Mr. Caruso, presently a partner at Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge, has a long and distinguished career in international and domestic civil and criminal law, including service as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York and a Deputy Associate Attorney General in the Justice Department. He currently sits as a Mayoral appointee on the Board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Of the five Mayoral appointees, two Commission members have been recommended by Council Speaker Vallone.
"Earlier this year, in response to the growing interest by the gaming industry to operate offshore gambling ships, we worked with City Council Speaker Vallone and other Council members in drafting legislation that would regulate the industry," Mayor Giuliani said. "Given the involvement of organized crime in the gambling industry, New York City will impose the oversight needed to ensure that organized crime does not gain a foothold in offshore gambling operations here.
"The Commission members who are being announced today have the knowledge and experience to protect the interests of the City and its citizens and I thank them for their service," the Mayor added. "I am especially pleased that Kenneth Caruso has agreed to chair the Commission. I know first hand of Ken's ability and integrity and look forward to working with him again. I also want to thank Deputy Mayor Rudy Washington for his excellent work in the development of the Gambling Control Commission."
Speaker Vallone said, "With the legislation the Council passed to establish this commission, we have acted to protect our citizens from fraud and to prevent these gambling ships from providing new opportunities for organized crime in our city. The Mayor, myself and the majority of the Councilmembers strongly agreed that with the number of businesses expressing interest in operating shipboard gambling vessels off our shores, it was necessary to establish standards of conduct. It will now be the commission's job to uphold these standards."
In addition to Mr. Caruso, the Mayor has made the following Commission appointments:
- WILBUR CHAPMAN - Presently Chief of Patrol of the New York City Police Department, Mr. Chapman brings to the Commission a high level of undercover and detailed criminal investigation expertise that is essential to the regulation of shipboard gambling.
- BERNARD B. KERIK - Mr. Kerik currently serves as First Deputy Commissioner of the New York City Department of Corrections and has a long and distinguished career in local, state, national, and international law enforcement and investigation.
- KATHLEEN B. CUDAHY and HARVEY N. FERTIG are long-time members of the City Council staff and hold senior legal positions that require the exercise of sound judgment and discretion.
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