Over the weekend 2014 Massachusetts gubernatorial hopeful Juliette Kayyem took to local news to discuss the topics of casino gambling, the tragic Boston Marathon bombings, urban violence, and the general direction of her respective campaign with NECN’s Jim Braude.
In just 10 minutes (see: video below), Braude and Kayyem talked about some of the more pressing issues facing Massachusetts and its residents. One of the most intriguing topics of such is gambling in Massachusetts. On election day in November, a bid to build a gaming facility on the Boston-designated land on shared Suffolk Downs was shot down though, currently, there’s still an ongoing attempt to replace it on the Revere-designated land. There’s also chatter of constructing a facility in Everett and the Western Massachusetts city of Springfield.
Kayyem described herself to Braude as in support of the casino law signed by Governor Deval Patrick to institute no more than three facilities statewide.
“I supported it. It’s very difficult for states to generate revenue, especially at the beginning of a recession,” Kayyem began. “I thought that the way the legislation was written was about as good as any state has demanded of a casino industry.”
And while she stressed the need for Massachusetts, and all states for that matter, to consider ways of generating revenue without having to levy more taxes on residents, she cautioned against lobbyists who hope to change the law simply because she thinks its tough where it needs to be.
She then touched upon urban violence and domestic terrorism in the Bay State, citing her background as the Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs for the United States Department of Homeland Security. When asked about the handling of the Boston Marathon bombings and how fellow Governor contender and Attorney General Martha Coakley refused to investigate the link between bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev and Ibragim Todashev – who told investigators that Tamerlan was a participant in a Waltham triple murder back in 2011.
“Well I actually believe there is a lot to learn and I don’t know enough because I’m on the outside,” noted Kayyem. “I have been pushing for an independent review of both the intelligence as well as what happened in Florida.”
As for her campaign in general, Kayyem has narrowed her focus for the time being in talking to Massachusetts residents on what she can do to provide support for their most pressing needs to the best of her abilities.
“I represent a, sort of, new leadership,” commented Kayyem on her stance in the race. “I’ve been in government but I haven’t been in politics, which is often appealing to voters.”
All the while, though, she’s having fun.
