Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Detroit-based Barwest LLC has paid more than $613,439 for casino lobbying support in Sacramento the last 18 months


Based on newly filed disclosure documents available via California’s Secretary of State at Cal-Access, during the 2nd Quarter of 2007 Detroit-based Barwest LLC paid former California state legislator R. Keith Olberg (Capitol Ventures, Roseville) and Governmental Advocates, Inc. a total of $110,930.54 to continue to act as lobbyists for the two adopted tribal partners (Big Lagoon Rancheria and Los Coyotes Band of Indians) who are fronting plans that would allow Barwest LLC (Detroiters Michael Malik and Marian Ilitch) to develop and manage two off-reservation Las Vegas-style twin casino resort projects proposed in Barstow, CA.

For the first six months of 2007, Barwest LLC has paid the two lobbying firms at least $222,591.58 to represent its interests.

Prior to 2007, Barwest LLC had paid a total of $390,848.12 to the two California lobbying entities; that brings the grand total paid by Barwest LLC for California lobbying support over approximately the last year and a half to at least $613,439.70.

In all, Keith Olberg reports to have been paid $300,992.00 since January 2006; Although there remains a $70,000 discrepancy between what Olberg reports he's received cumulatively and what the two tribes report he's been paid cumulatively ($370,467).

The Governmental Advocates, Inc. lobbying firm has been paid $385,527.70 since October 2005.

Barwest LLC has failed to register as a lobbyist employer in California and has used the two tribes to front that burden -- sometimes akwardly -- although Barwest pays the expenses and manages the circumstances.

Another Sacramento lobbyist, C.W. "Nick" Medeiros is registered as a lobbyist for both the City of Barstow and the Big Lagoon Rancheria but has been paid $208,768 exclusively by the Barstow taxpayers since Barwest and the City first opened negotiations in 2001.

Approximately $965,000 has been paid in all to Sacramento lobbyists to promote the Barwest casino schemes.


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