Boldrey, McLellan, the Dykema Gossett law firm and their connection to John Engler and the Bay Mills Indian Community

R. Lance Boldrey was chief counsel for Indian affairs matters to Governor John Engler in 2002 and negotiated the 11th hour land claims settlement agreement Engler signed with the Bay Mills Indian Community (Tribe). He even represented Engler (with just 90 days left in Engler’s term) before the U.S. Senate Indian Affairs Committee on October 10, 2002 at a hurried hearing on a bill (S. 2986) introduced by Michigan’s junior Senator Debbie Stabenow and intended to win Congressional approval of the Engler Settlement Agreement and pave the way for an off-reservation Indian casino in Port Huron, Michigan. (The Dykema law firm would end up being the third largest contributor to Sen. Stabenow’s re-election campaign)

As part of the Engler Settlement Agreement (a document now available at the Dykema Web site), the tribe agreed to give up its so-called claims to 110 acres of land in the Charlotte Beach subdivision east of Barbeau, Michigan; in exchange, the tribe would be granted the right to develop and run a third casino which would be located in Port Huron, Michigan; more than 350 miles away from its existing Reservation. The move on Engler’s part represented a flip-flop of a long held policy opposing off-reservation gaming and was also rather suspect given that among other things both state and federal courts had recently tossed out the Tribe’s same land claims. Shortly after Engler left office, Boldrey went to work in the Lansing office of the Dykema Gossett law firm in which Richard D. McLellan was a senior member and head of the firm's Government Policy practice group responsible for the firm's public policy, administrative law and lobbying practices in Lansing and Washington, D.C. And shortly there after, Dykema Gossett was representing the Bay Mills Indian Tribe and its partners.

Richard D. McLellan, at one time was even manager of the law firms Lansing offices. And after Boldrey joined the firm in 2003, they would form two new practice groups: Indian Law and Gaming. In 2005 they would represent Marian Ilitch in her acquisition of MotorCity Casino’s majority interest from Mandalay Resort Group/MGM Mirage and oversee acquisition of more than $1.1 billion in funding used to finance the Ilitch deal.

McLellan as it turns out was an old friend, confidant and political agent for John Engler. In fact, McClellan had helped Engler form the Corner Stone Foundation in 1987 which would later be known as Mackinac Center for Public Policy; the groups were funded heavily by insurance companies and pharmaceuticals. McLellan served in a leadership capacity for Engler’s campaign in 1990 and then was transition director for the Governor-elect assisting in the formation of Governor Engler's Administration; and McLellan would be appointed to various positions by Engler throughout his 12 years as Governor of Michigan including as a member and secretary of the Michigan International Trade Authority, a member of the Michigan Jobs Commission, member of the Library of Michigan Board, and chairman of the Michigan Corrections Commission, among others. McLellan was also instrumental in planning an amendment to the state constitution that would allow public funding of religious schools.

McLellan retired from day to day practice with Dykmea Gossett in April 2007. McLellan’s Biography.