Typos hid $57,000 Ilitch contributed to DSCC & Sen. Levin during 2008 Election

According to OpenSecrets.org, members of Detroit's Ilitch Family appear to have contributed $132,300 to federal campaign committees in the 2008 campaign cycle.

But a closer examination of records on file with the Federal Election Commission reveals that Mike and Marian Ilitch each gave an additional $27,500 ($57,000 total) to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee on 12.31.07. The contributions remained hidden because the DSCC recorded the contribution as from Marian Hitch (Little Caesars Enterprises Inc./Sec.) and Michael Hitch (Hitch Holdings/Chairman).

Earlier in 2007 the Ilitch Family contributed $23,000 to Michgan Senator Carl Levin's re-election committee after Levin finally endorsed a Port Huron Casino plan the Ilitch family backs. It's likely the $57,000 benefited Sen. Levin's re-election campaign.

The contributions recorded with errors to the Democratic Senatorial Committee bring the Ilitch Family's total contributions to federal campaign committees during the 2008 election cyle to $189,300.

According to OpenSecrets.org, the Ilitch Family's casino and real estate development partner Michael J. Malik, Sr. contributed $33,500 to the DSCC and another $4,600 directly to Sen. Levin. Malik and his affiliates (MJM Enterprises and Blue Water Resorts) are bankrolling the Port Huron Casino plans fronted by the Bay Mills Indian Community.

In total they contributed $90,500 to the DSCC and $27,600 to Levin's committee for a total of $188,100 that likely supported Sen. Carl Levin's re-election. During Sen. Levin's six previous campaigns for the Senate, the Ilitch Family contributed a total of just $3,900 to Michigan's Senior Senator.