More Fun With Numbers: A Lotto Connections

There was something quirky about last week’s Globe report that scratch-ticket vendor Scientific Games had kicked $132,000 in consulting fees to Thomas Kelly—friend of, and fundraiser for, lottery overlord and state Treasurer Tim Cahill.

Namely, that the money moving between Scientific Games and Kelly was filtered through Regan Communications. The Georgia based lottery firm had hired the local PR group to press its interests here, so it was Regan that actually paid Kelly, knowing that it would later be reimbursed by Scientific Games.

Now, as we know, Regan President George Regan is a powerful man in this town (at this point we are obliged to note that BoMag is a Regan client). And as is often the case with powerful men, he makes regular political donations.

For instance, since 2004, Regan has annually donated $500 (the state maximum for personal political donations) to Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin. Meanwhile, since Cahill took office as treasurer in 2002, Regan’s given him $2,500, including the maximum $500 each of the last two years.

This strikes us because in the immediate aftermath of the Globe report, Galvin announced that his office would investigate the matter for a possible lobbying violation. If Galvin is to find wrongdoing, his recourse would be to bar Scientific Games from lobbying in Massachusetts. That would quite obviously be a blow to Regan.

So, for those of you keeping score at home: Bill Galvin, a beneficiary of Regan’s political goodwill, is investigating Scientific Games, who Regan reps, for its relations to Tim Cahill, who also takes money from Regan.

It’s a small world after all.

Related: The Real Lottery Winner