In actuality, I am not sure this claim is 100% accurate. I would have to go back and check some of the documentation I have, and some of the reports that have been issued, however; I think that this time -- when Getnick & Getnick was hired, the State Oversight Board, as well as the NYSR&WB and/or possibly the Govenor's office was not only made aware, but also had direct input on the decision -- and approved same.
Perhaps Steve, or someone else may remember or know the details. In addition, I am not sure the State Investigations Committee originally was involved or had input on this. At the same time, this could be similar to the findings -- albeit incorrect and inaccurate -- of "NYRA paying for shipping between Aqueduct and Belmont" and vice versa. If you remember, this was made a big deal of and subsequently found out to not be an issue at all.
Again, I am not sure of the sequence, chronology or otherwise, however, this may have been out in the open at least to the parties involved. Also, while Getnick & Getnick is in fact a law firm, they were not retained for legal work. This was a continuation of the monitoring and oversight previously done, and continued as such, also addressing corporate governance, infrastructure, fiscal, etc. -- which had always been done by and at NYRA. At one point, I think Saffir Rossetti was on the job, from both a security, procedural, etc. perspective. Getnick & Getnick's role was much more comprehensive and the results produced spoke volumes for itself.
While NYRA certainly has been guilty of things in the past, and has made mistakes in the past -- and for those aspects I was a harsh critic -- in my opinion and the opinion of the majority of the NY horsemen, they are a different and much improved organization and were the only choice to retain and continue the franchise. Since this work has been done, I am unaware of any malfescense or problematic issues that NY horsemen have with NYRA. The NYRA we see today is a byproduct of everything that went into this entire saga and process.
Eric
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