'A Bum Rap'
By Robert J. Boyle
[Ed. note: The following editorial column appeared in a New
Jersey newspaper. The subject of this defense, Bill O'Donnell,
former chairman of Bally's board of directors, was forced by
New Jersey officials to resign before Bally could be granted a
license for its casino in Atlantic City.]
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8
Former Attorney General John Degnan's loss in the
primary pleases me. I never met the man, and really
know little about him, except that I believe he used the
Constitution for his own purposes and not for the
purposes that it was written.
Degnan tilted a lot of casino windmills, and indicated
that he saw himself as the protector of the public. That
might not be a bad idea but the way he went about it and
the logic he used, baffled me.
I always believed that in this country you were free to
come and go as you please, free to associate with
whomever you wished, free to conduct business and,
that unless you were a convicted criminal, no
government agency could throw up restrictions against
you.
But, watching some of the hearing for casino officials
from afar, I began to wonder about Mr. Degnan and his
tactics. I especially wondered about his attacks on
William O'Donnell, who headed the Bally Casino.
Mr. O'Donnell, a Chicago resident who took an ailing
slot machine business and made it into a profitable one,
was instrumental in building Atlantic City's most
expensive casino. And, he wanted to head the business
that he built.
Mr. O'Donnell has never been convicted of any crime.
But he was denied ownership of the casino after the
Casino Commission ruled agaist him. Mr. Degnan was
the spear in the attacks on Mr. O'Donnell, and the
attacks seem unfounded . One was that one of his
employees at one time played golf with a suspected
Mafia member. The duffer was no longer employed by
Bally. Nevertheless it became an issue.
In this country we should be free to associate with
anyone. Mr. O 'Donnell also tried to get a loan, according
to Degnan, from a person who may or may not have
Mafia links. He wanted to save a business.
Loans do not necessarily have to come from banks.
Organizations such as the Teamsters, and even the
Catholic Church have given loans. When you need a
buck you go where the money is. And, it appears that is
what Mr. O 'Donnell did, and there is nothing criminal in
that.
Most everyone at one time or another deals with
questionable characters. Because a policeman, or a
newsman knows and perhaps even likes some of the
world's shady people does not make him shady.
From where I sit, Mr. O'Donnell got a bum rap.
To force a man to sell his own property, a property he
worked for and built with his own funds seemed lopsided.
Mr. O 'Donnell is still on the outside looking in; still
under orders to sell his stock; still unable to visit the
casino he built. But with a new governor taking office in
January, and with a Supreme Court hearing due, maybe
Mr. O 'Donnell will be able to enjoy the rights that he and
every American should have.
He should be allowed his casino.
There are laws in the state to protect the citizens. If he,
or any other casino operator breaks them, then he
should be punished and restrictions should be placed
against him. But neither he nor any citizens should face
"before the fact" injustice.
That just isn't the way it should be done in this country
or this state.
•
PLAY METER, October 1, 1981