January 11, 2012 — State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione today released the following statement regarding the administration’s announcement regarding Camelot and the Pennsylvania Lottery:

“After campaigning to a public demand for transparency and open government, the governor’s action today is another brick in the wall of secrecy that has marked his administration from the beginning.

Rejecting even the most elemental level of public scrutiny, the agreement with Camelot serves only to raise public suspicion about the motives and the method of the administration’s rush toward corporate acquiescence.

For several months, I have been asking for information regarding the tax compliance and liability of Camelot and their Pennsylvania subsidiary that was created in Delaware for this venture. All I have received in response are vague assurances that we can trust the administration and Camelot to do the right thing for Pennsylvania taxpayers and its vulnerable senior population.

The governor apparently believes he can slap the legislature aside and operate Pennsylvania as a partnership between himself and opaque corporate partners. I will continue to partner with concerned taxpayers, lottery employees and public officials to make sure that this reckless rush is halted and a deliberate, transparent evaluation ensues.

Every Pennsylvanian, even those inclined toward privatization of public services, has reason to be concerned about this public rebuke of public input.”