PRESS RELEASE

HARRISBURG: Kenneth T. McCabe, a twenty-year veteran of the FBI who currently heads the regional field division in Pittsburgh, is the appointee of Senator Robert C. Jubelirer for the newly created Gaming Control Board.

“Ken McCabe has the experience, the character, and the commitment needed to make sure that gambling expansion is implemented honestly, and that the oversight structure contains suitable safeguards against corruption,” Jubelirer said.

“From the outset, integrity and intelligence were the foremost criteria in making this selection. I wanted someone with the fortitude to oppose what is wrong, and the capacity to fight for what is right. I am convinced that Ken McCabe possesses those qualities. I also wanted someone with impeccable credentials, who would not be engulfed in the instant controversy that has greeted several other appointees. In intent and result, this is a public interest appointment, not a political appointment,” he pointed out.

“We interviewed a diverse group of individuals, who possessed strong personal and professional qualifications. As I thought about the responsibilities of the Board, and the imperative for getting things right, I preferred someone with strong law enforcement credentials. The extensive work Ken has done, in investigating organized crime, in providing security, and in coordinating anti-corruption efforts, is good preparation for this assignment,” Jubelirer stated.

McCabe and Jubelirer had not met prior to the search for a Board appointee. McCabe’s work at the FBI checks out well, and the special agents undergo a thorough review every five years, Jubelirer noted.

“My appointee is not going in to attempt to reverse the action of the General Assembly, but he will insist that things are done properly and openly, with clear accountability. The consequential decisions ahead are too important to be rushed through unchecked. There are too many places where the slots law short-circuits the processes that are designed to protect against bad decisionmaking or wrongful actions. The Board must take the time to do things right, to insist on quality rather than haste,” Jubelirer emphasized.