The backers of a controversial ballot campaign to build a casino in York County had little to say during at a public hearing being held at the State House Wednesday. However, an attorney hired by the campaign revealed that the ballot initiative that's likely to appear before voters in November is backed by an offshore holding company with a checkered history.

The leading Democrat and Republican on the Legislature’s Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee had hoped a public hearing on the York County casino referendum will help answer several questions about the campaign and a gambling developer with a history of litigation against him. But when asked by the committee for the campaign to testify, only Portland attorney Dan Riley did so.

Riley said he had been retained by Bridge Capital early Wednesday morning, and that he was unprepared to answer many questions about the campaign.

“I’ve never been called the morning of a hearing asking me to testify,” said Riley, who has previously testified on behalf of a range of clients at the Legislature.

Bridge Capital is a high-risk investment firm based in Saipan of the Mariana Islands. Shawn Scott, who first brought gambling to Maine a decade ago, is a partner in the firm, which also bankrolled an unsuccessful campaign last year to build a slots parlor near Suffolk Downs in Massachusetts. The campaign originally said Scott was not involved.

Scott and Bridge Capital have been denied gambling licenses in several states.

The way the ballot initiative is written, Scott would be the only person who could build the casino.

Bridge Capital has also financed gambling facilities in other states, including one in Laos, which was seized by the government over corruption charges.

Riley was unable to answer questions from the committee about Bridge Capital’s previous business dealings. He did say Bridge Capital had been in negotiations with the owners of Scarborough Downs, but those talks have ceased. Riley also indicated that the firm saw the ballot campaign as an investment opportunity that could eventually lead it to sell the casino to another gambling operator.
Scarborough is located in Cumberland County.

The casino initiative specifies York County as the destination for the facility. Riley said he believed the firm planned to move the Scarborough Downs racetrack to a location in York County.

It’s rare for lawmakers to hold a public hearing on a referendum that has qualified for the ballot. But the so-called Horseracing Jobs Fairness campaign isn’t operating like a typical ballot campaign. It has spent over $4 million just to qualify for the ballot — double the money Gov. Paul LePage’s re-election campaign spent two years ago and $1 million more than each of the candidates spent trying to defeat him.

The casino campaign has operated largely in secret — its known operatives turn away press inquiries despite nagging questions about a proposal that will be appearing before Maine voters nine months from now.

The proposal will appear on the ballot in November. Scott’s sister, Lisa Scott of Miami, has financed the ballot campaign.

Democratic state Rep. Louis Luchini of Ellsworth asked whether Bridge Capital is paying Lisa Scott to finance the campaign. Riley said he did not know.

This story will be updated.