Ilitch Family, associate increased political campaign contributions 2000% in four year quest to expand their gambling empire

The Ilitch Family and their associate Michael J. Malik increased political campaign contributions 2000% in the four year quest to expand their Michigan gambling empire.

During the summer of 2005, when controversy erupted over the timing of a big ticket All-Star Game fundraiser the Ilitch family hosted for Rep. Richard Pombo and a House hearing scheduled two days late and chaired by Pombo on matters affecting one of the Ilitch tribal partners, Ilitch publicist Tom Shields, as usual, tried to down play the circumstances saying, “the Ilitches donate regularly to officeholders of both parties.” But he forgot to mention their regularity was fiercely snowballing by 2000 percent.

The following is based on federal campaign disclosure documents.

• During the six years from 1997 through 2002 (the 105th, 106th , 107th Congresses) the Ilitch Family contributed $23,100, and Michael J. Malik contributed $2,000, for a total of slightly more than $25,000 to federal candidates and committees.
  
• During the four years from 2003 through 2006 (the 108th & 109th Congresses) the Ilitch Family contributed at least $332,000, and Michael J. Malik contributed at least $171,000, to federal candidates and committees topping half a million dollars in individual (non-PAC or corporate) political dough. There were additional large contributions made to local and state office holders, ballot measure and the San Joaquin County GOP Committee (Calif.) which are not included in the more than half million dollar figure presented here. In all, these individuals paid out almost $900,000 in local, state and federal political campaign contributions.


• Collectively for the four years from 2003-2006 their individual checkbooks logged a 2,000 percent increase in federal political campaign contributions over the previous six year period 1997 – 2002; that’s a 2000 percent increase in 2/3rds the amount of time.


• From 2003-2006 the bulk of the $500,000 went to candidates the Ilitch Family/Malik had not previously backed. It is believed $300,000 went toward support for Senator Debbie Stabenow, Rep. Candice Miller and Rep. Richard Pombo or committees they favored, but none of that was paid out until after each had introduced legislation to help advance Ilitch/Malik efforts to expand their casino empire.


• Their contributions were often bundled or sent in pairs of large amounts and directed toward Leadership PACs, or related party campaign committees in order to bust the lower contribution limits placed on funds that can be contributed to a candidate’s campaign committees.

The data used for this overview analysis was available from The Center for Responsive Politics at opensecrets.org and can also be verified with the Federal Election Commission. By the “Ilitch Family” we represent Michael and Marian Ilitch along with their seven children and respective spouses all with the Ilitch name except for daughter Lisa Ilitch Murray and her husband Glenn Murray. All immediate family members have an interest and are generally part of the privately held family controlled Ilitch Holdings enterprises and any federal political contributions are most often bundled with those of their parent’s or Michael J. Malik Sr.

We have not included contributions made by their lobbying firms, lawyers, partners or associates other than Michael J. Malik although the contributions by these others are also extensive. Nor have we considered for this discussion almost $3 million paid out to Capitol Hill Lobbyists from 2002-2006.