For more than a decade, the state Gaming Commission allowed political party leaders — all Republicans or Conservatives — to serve on the board of Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. in violation of state law, Investigative Post has found. Then came Jennifer Hibit.
Following major reforms by state lawmakers, County Executive Mark Poloncarz last June appointed the Democratic insider to the OTB board. But late last year, the Gaming Commission gave Hibit a choice: Resign from her leadership position in the Erie County Democratic Committee or leave the OTB board. She left OTB.
Crystal Rodriguez-Dabney, a Democrat appointed by Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown last year, and soon given a similar choice, chose to resign her position as party vice chair. The forced resignations raised questions about whether there’s a double standard for the way Democrats and Republicans are treated.
