New York State Commission to Study, Examine and Investigate State Agencies in Relation to Pari-Mutuel Harness Racing…

Alphabetical by last name of individual investigated.

This series consists of background information and supporting documentation compiled by the Commission during its investigation of individuals with financial interests or other involvement in harness racing associations.

The bulk of the series consists of investigation files on individuals. These files vary greatly in size and content but may contain such records as: investigation reports from the New York State Police to the Commission providing personal information including: name and alias, residential and business addresses and phone numbers, occupation and employment history, date and place of birth, physical description, parent names, addresses, and occupations, former addresses, education (schools, dates, degrees), marital status, military service, criminal record, credit rating, and list of newspaper articles about the individual; completed questionnaires providing detailed information on the nature and extent of the individual's financial interests in harness racing associations; grand jury minutes involving the individual; schedules and lists of dividends paid by harness racing associations to the individual; stock acquisition and transfer lists and charts; chronology of the individual's financial transactions; state and federal income tax returns; lists and copies of cancelled checks, financial records, correspondence, legal documents, and other materials turned over to the Commission; interoffice memoranda reporting on the individual's financial interests and transactions; summary of individual's testimony; and outline of examination (information to be requested at hearing).

A few files at the beginning of the series are exhibits presented at the March 1954 public hearings. These are accompanied by a register listing the name of the witness and date of testimony during which each exhibit was presented. The exhibits include: charts, tables, graphs, and schedules indicating harness racing association investors, how much invested, number of shares of stock, amount invested in bonds, and related information; lease of track by owner-lessor to licensee, and related agreements; transcripts of Executive Session testimony from which portions were read at public hearings; correspondence between persons and associations with financial interests in harness racing; criminal/arrest records with mug shots; cancelled checks; and news articles.

In addition, there are a few exhibits from Executive Session hearings held in October 1953.

B1327Series B1327, Card Indexes to Harness Racing Associations and Stockholders, Witnesses, and Commission Records and Staff, indexes this series in part.

Container list is available at the repository.

All investigative materials in Moreland Act commission records are indefinitely restricted pursuant to Executive Law sect. 6 and 63.8 and Civil Rights Law sect. 73.8. Requests for access to such materials are referred to the Governor's Office.

Executive Session (private hearing) testimony: Restricted; Executive Law, Section 63.8.

Investigation background reports on individuals: Restricted; Personal Privacy Protection Law, Section 96.1.c and personal privacy exemption of Freedom of Information Law, Section 87.2.b.

Grand jury minutes and federal and state tax returns: Restricted: Closed permanently; exempted from public disclosure by specific statutes, therefore deniable under Freedom of Information Law, Section 87.2.a.

Finding aid to the records, which lists subjects of investigations: Restricted; Executive Law, Section 63.8, Civil Rights Law, Section 73.8.