Ohio Senate staff member with no gaming experience appointed to run casino regulatory panel

9/22/2011
COLUMBUS DISPATCH

COLUMBUS — An Ohio Senate staffer has been named to head the regulatory agency that will oversee the state's new casinos.

The Columbus Dispatch reports members of the Casino Control Commission on Wednesday picked Matt Schuler to be its first executive director after failing to lure prospects now holding similar positions in other states.

Schuler is the chief of staff for the Republican Ohio Senate President Tom Niehaus (NEE'-hows). Casino commission chairwoman Jo Ann Davidson says that while Schuler has no direct experience with the gaming business, he has been involved with drawing up the state's casino regulations from the start.

That's not enough for Ohio Democratic Chairman Chris Redfern, who calls Schuler "just flat-out not qualified" to run the casino commission.

Schuler was approved unanimously by the bipartisan, seven-member panel.