Speaker Robert Deleo, his gambling expansion plans in tatters, is blaming the Governor for the demise of the expanded gaming bill.

“I think saying no to local aid, saying no to 15,000 jobs, I think that could be an issue,” DeLeo said when asked about the governor’s re-election bid, adding that unions were “outraged” by Patrick’s decision to send the casino bill back instead of signing it.

Yes the Governor is taking the heat from the Speaker on this. In the meantime Senate President flies under the radar screen, shrugging her shoulders and saying she could not muster the votes for an override. Hmmmmm. Difficult road for the Speaker, but he was certainly outmaneuvered by the Governor and the Senate President on this issue. I am hard pressed to think that the Speaker should not have accepted a quarter loaf here, with a plan to fix up what he felt he needed to later. Difficult to believe (for me) that once you have slots in any form that additional slots would not be approved in a subsequent session at some point. He also forces Suffolk Downs to take the gas pipe on its resort casino ambitions, which would have been a big boon to his district. That is a lot of jobs going down the drain over multiple acts of political intransigence. The House certainly didn’t win on this issue.

Read the Herald story here.