Public Notice: Arizona Game & Fish Commission Hearing on revocation of Michael Malik's licenses

PUBLIC NOTICE
December 3, 2008

A public meeting of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission will be held on December 5-6, 2008, and as authorized by A.R.S. § 17-201(D), the Commission will discuss and may vote to take action on the following matters:

Friday, December 5, 2008, Arizona Game and Fish Commission at the Francisco Grande 26000 Gila Bend Highway, Casa Grande, AZ 85293.

Meeting begins at 8:00 a.m.

Item 10. Presenter: Gene Elms, Law Enforcement Branch Chief. Hearings on License Revocations for Violation of Game and Fish Codes and Civil Assessments for the Illegal Taking and/or Possession of Wildlife at Time Certain 2:00 p.m. The Commission will consider and take action on the license revocations and/or civil assessments for the individuals listed below.

Name: Malik, Michael J. (Michael J. Malik, Sr.)
Conviction: Count B - discharge firearm w/ in ¼ mile of residences while taking elk.

Update Note: Commissioners voted to fine Malik $14,995 and revoke his licenses to fish, hunt and trap in 32 states for five years.

Rep. Alcee Hastings accepted $2000 from a gun toting, moose stripping Michigan Casino Syndicator

CNN reported on 9.24.08 that Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL 23rd) told a group of Jewish Democrats they should be wary of Republican VP nominee Sarah Palin because “anybody toting guns and stripping moose don’t care too much about what they do with Jews and blacks.”

But that apparently won't stop Rep. Hastings from taking their money.

Reallize that less than two weeks later, Rep. Hastings re-election committee gladly deposited a $2000 check from Michael J. Malik, Sr., a Detroit casino syndicator.

Did Hastings know that as Associated Press reports, Malik once paid $90,000 for the right to stalk elk in New Mexico? Or that in August, an Arizona Justice Court found Malik guilty of illegaly discharging a firearm too close to an occupied residence? Or that Malik is the owner of a 1000-acre commercial hunting property called Paradice Hunt Club located north of Gladwin, MI? (See: Map)

That probably doesn't matter because Hastings was in bed with Mike Malik several months before he made the derogatory comments about Gov. Palin.

On 6.25.08, Rep. Hastings brought H.R. 1298 to the floor of the House from the Rules Committee. (Read: Hastings Introductory Remarks)

That bill established and opened debate on H.R. 2176, a bill disguised as a land claims settlement for the Bay Mills Indian Community that was intended to pave the way for Malik to develop and manage an Indian casino in Port Huron, MI.

Seems that $2000 check from the gun toting, moose stripping Malik must have just been a little token of appreciation for the help Hastings provide in June.

What compelled Ilitch partner to engage former Judge impeached on bribery charges

So what might have compelled Detroit-based casino syndicator Michael J. Malik, Sr., to send $2,000 to South Florida Congressman Alcee Hastings (D-23rd) in the closing weeks of the Fall political campaign -- other than the fact that Rep. Hastings carried H.R. 1298 to the floor of the House on 6.25.08 which established the rules and opened debate on H.R. 2176?

Here are two things to consider:

1. Hastings is the senior member of the House Rules Committee. H.R. 2176, a bill that would pave the way for Malik to build and manage a Bay Mills Indian casino in Port Huron, Michigan, was defeated in the House on 6.25.08. However, official lobbying reports for the 3rd Quarter '08 indicate lobbyists for Malik's affiliates were still pushing for passage of H.R. 2176 this Fall. A friend with Rep. Hastings' possible sway on the House Rules Committee might be useful if one were trying to get a failed bill re-considered or otherwise use some loophole to slip through approval of the bill in the House.



2. As a report in National Review explains, Hastings was a federal Judge in Florida in the 1980s when it was alleged he solicited a bribe. Impeachment ensued in Congress. The House Judiciary Committee voted unanimously to impeach Hastings. The full House concurred by vote of 413 to 3. As it turns out, Rep. John Conyers (D-MI 14th) was Judiciary Committee chairman. Conyers helped draft the articles of impeachment and appeared as an impeachment manager before the Senate. It's reported that Conyers made perhaps the most compelling arguments during Hastings' impeachment proceedings. Hastings was impeached and removed from the federal bench.
   
   Fast forward several years to 1992 when Hastings resurrected his career getting elected to represent a South Florida district as a member of the same club that had previously knocked him off the federal bench.
   
   During the 110th Congress, Rep. Conyers was an outspoken opponent of H.R. 2176. After the bill passed favorably out of the Natural Resources Committee, Conyers pulled privilege and held a hearing on the matter before the Judiciary Committee which registered unanimous opposition to the bill. Conyers followed that up with a "Dear Colleague" letter signed by 52 other Members prior to the full vote of the House.
   
   So ... was it Hastings' apparent history involving bribes that attracted Malik or the fact that they have a common foe in Conyers? Or both?

TVT previously posted details about what appears to be a $2,000 campaign contribution Mike Malik sent to Rep. Hastings.

That contribution caught TVT's attention because Hastings' re-election committee reported to the FEC that Detroit-based Malik is employed by Wheat Government Relations, a firm headed by former Rep. Alan Wheat (D-MO), at an address in Arlington, VA.

Actually, at least five Malik affiliates and partners employ lobbyists at Wheat Government Relations. Among them, Blue Water Resorts affiliated with MJM Enterprises and the Bay Mills Indian Community, Gateway Casino Resorts affiliated with the Shinnecock Indian Nation, and BarWest LLC.

Malik's business partner is Mrs. Marian Ilitch, owner of Detroit's MotorCity Casino. The Ilitch family owns the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Red Wings and Little Caesars Pizza.

Tribe's contributions to Rep. Stupak have remained virtually hidden

During the 2008 campaign cycle, Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI 1st) received five contributions totaling $4,900 from the Bay Mills Indian Community. But that detail isn't easily discoverable when searching standard political donor data bases at often referenced sites like fec.gov, OpenSecrets.org or CampaignMoney.com.

Generally, contributions to federal political committees are restricted to individuals but through loopholes, tribes are able to make contributions. Most searchable donor data bases aren't able to recognize records for organizations so a search of the donor "Bay Mills Indian Community" isn't likely to pull up any results.

However, using a new resource available on the Federal Election Commission's Web site, its possible to recognize contributions from tribes during the 2008 campaign cycle if you search a specific candidate's donor records.

By reviewing "Candidate Details" for Rep. Stupak and then exploring "itemized individual contributions" it's revealed that the following flowed from the Bay Mills tribe to Rep. Stupak during the 2008 campaign cycle:

06.08.07 - Bay Mills Indian Community - $1,000
09.04.07 - Bay Mills Indian Community - $1,200
09.04.07 - Bay Mills Indian Community - $1,300
05.27.08 - Bay Mills Indian Community - $400
08.11.08 - Bay Mills Indian Community - $1,000
09.30.08 - Bay Mills Indian Community - ($300) refund

The Bay Mills Indian Community's Brimley, MI, Reservation sits within Stupak's congressional district. Over the last decade, Stupak has introduced a handful of failed bills in Congress to resolve so-called land claims the tribe has made to property in a subdivision called Charlotte Beach. In the 110th Congress, H.R. 2176 was defeated by an overwhelming vote in the House of Representatives.

Had any of Stupak's bills been approved by Congress, they would have paved the way for a group of casino syndicators behind the Bay Mills tribe, to build and manage a casino in Port Huron, Michigan.

It appears that the tribe made several contributions to Stupak during the 2004 & 2006 election cycles as well. That's in addition to more than $40,000 that has flowed to Stupak from those pushing the Port Huron casino including Michael J. Malik, Sr., and Mike and Marian Ilitch.

Rep. Hastings FEC disclosures falsely identify Detroit casino syndicator as employee of lobbying firm

Campaign finance disclosures submitted to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) by the re-election committee of Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL 23rd) indicates a Michael J. Malik contributed $2,000 to Hastings' committee on 10.10.08. The official report filed with the FEC indicates Malik is employed as a Developer by Wheat Government Relations [a D.C. lobbying firm] and identifies Malik's address at 1201 South Ends [sic] Street, Suite Two, Arlington, Virginia, 22202.

Wheat Government Relations' Web site does not identify an employee named Malik and there is no one named Michael Malik registered as a lobbyist with Wheat Government Relations.

There is a Detroit casino syndicator named Michael J. Malik, Sr. whose gaming affiliates include MJM Enterprises & Development, Blue Water Resorts, Gateway Casino Resorts, and BarWest, LLC. The later three are Wheat Government Relations' clients. Blue Water and Gateway are "affiliated organizations" known to be paying the bills and directing lobbying for two Indian tribes respectively that are also registered as Wheat clients: Bay Mills Indian Community and Shinnecock Indian Nation.

During the 110th Congress, Rep. Hastings was senior member of the House Rules Committee, chairman of the Legislative and Budget Process Subcommittee; chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki Commission); and co-chairman of the Florida congressional delegation.

Lobbyists pushing casino related bill previously rejected in the House of Representatives

Although H.R. 2176 was overwhelmingly defeated in the U.S. House of Representatives on 6.25.08 (2nd Quarter '08):

• Blue Water Resorts, LLC, paid $40,000 to Wheat Government Relations to lobby in support of H.R. 2176 during the 3rd Quarter '08.



• Blue Water Resorts, LLC, engaged Dykema Gossett in 3rd Quarter '08 to lobby in support of H.R. 2176.



• Patton Boggs LLP, Zell & Cox P.C., and Wheat Government Relations all filed 3rd Quarter '08 lobbying disclosures indicating they were pushing support for the passage of H.R. 2176 on behalf of the Bay Mills Indian Community. Wheat reports being paid $20,000 during the 3rd Quarter but failed to report whether or not an affiliate, Blue Water Resorts, was paying the tribe's bill.



• Franklin Creek Consulting and Potomac Partners DC reported they had lobbied on behalf of MJM Enterprises in support of legislation to support the land claims settlements described in H.R. 2176. Potomac Partners reported being paid $10,000 by MJM Enterprises but failed to disclose whether or not affiliate Blue Water Resorts was paying MJM's lobbying bills.

Sources: OpenSecrets.org; Lobbying Disclosure Act Data Base

Wheat Government Relations continues a complex web of lobbying engagements for Casino Syndicator

Wheat Government Relations has been registered as lobbyists for the Bay Mills Indian Community for a decade, and for the last five years Wheat has also represented the tribe's casino development partner Blue Water Resort, LLC.

Wheat filed two amendments to its 1st Quarter '08 lobbying disclosures for the Bay Mills tribe. In the second amendment (third try), Wheat disclosed that Blue Water Resorts was an affiliate of the Bay Mills Indian Community: paying the tribe's lobbying bills and directing its lobbying efforts.

This past year, Wheat Government Relations hired Alexander J. Beckles, LLC, to lobby on matters related to the Bay Mills Indian Community. Blue Water Resorts is likely paying Beckles' bills.

Beckles was legislative director for Congressman Edolphus "Ed" Towns (D-NY 10th) from 1992-2007.

Alan Wheat was a regular contributor to Edolphus Towns' campaign committee from 2002-2007.

Amended lobbying registration reveals Casino syndicator paying Tribe's bills

Akerman Senterfitt has been lobbying on behalf of the Bay Mills Indian Community since 6.01.08. The D.C. lobbying firm registered as the tribe's lobbyists on 6.24.08.

Akerman Senterfitt filed an amended registration on 7.21.08 disclosing that Blue Water Resorts, an affiliate of the Bay Mills Indian Community, would be paying the tribes bills and directing lobbying efforts.

Joe Findaro is the Akerman Senterfitt lobbyist representing the Bay Mills Indian Community (Blue Water Resorts).

Casino syndicator Michael J. Malik, Sr., is the manager of Blue Water Resorts, LLC. The company's address is recorded at 2211 Woodward Ave., Detroit, Michigan -- the headquarters of Ilitch Holdings, Inc. Marian Ilitch and Malik have partnered on various casino ventures and members of the Ilitch Family are behind his plans to build a Bay Mills Indian casino in Port Huron.

Casino backers have given more than $40k to Rep. Bart Stupak

Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI 1st) has authored various bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would ultimately allow the Bay Mills Indian Community and its financial backers to build a casino in Port Huron, Michigan. That tribe already has two casinos on its reservation in Northern Michigan.

During the 110th Congress Stupak authored H.R. 2176 (Related Bills: H.RES.1298, H.R.3048, H.R.4115) which was approved by the House Natural Resources Committee in February 2008 but was defeated overwhelmingly in a vote of the full House in June 2008.

Casino syndicator Michael J. Malik, Sr., and members of Detroit's Ilitch family (they own the Detroit Red Wings, Little Caesars Pizza, Detroit Tigers and MotorCity Casino) are behind the scheme to develop a Port Huron casino.

Several D.C. lobbying firms including Wheat Government Relations (Alan Wheat, Julie Shroyer and others) and Potomac Partners DC (Richard Alcalde & Daniel Feliz) have been retained by their affiliates and partners (Bay Mills Indian Community, MJM Enterprises, Blue Water Resorts).

Collectively they have contributed at least $39,900 to Stupak's political committees. They've raised thousand more for Stupak via business associates, vendors, attorneys, consultants and other friends. (See Contributions Details)

A report available at CampaignMoney.com indicates that Stupak also received another $3,500 directly from the Bay Mills Indian Community. Because generally federal political contributions are restricted to individuals and most data base tracking services are not set up to track contributions from organizations, it is often difficult to track contributions from Indian tribes. Tribes are exempt from the rules that apply to most other organizations and corporations.

Ilitch and associates gave $150k to those who pushed casino bill in House

Those who argued in the U.S. House of Representative in favor of H.R. 2176 received more than $150,000 from those backing a casino in Port Huron, Michigan.

On 6.25.08, the House of Representatives debated the merits and voted on H.R. 2176, a bill that would have settled so-called land claims made by two Michigan tribes.

If passed, the bill would have paved the way for the Bay Mills Indian Community to build a casino away from its reservation in Port Huron, Michigan. Casino interests who are pushing that plan include Michael J. Malik, Sr. and members of Detroit's well-known Ilitch Family. Malik and the Ilitch family have partnered on various casino projects in Michigan and across the U.S.

The following Representatives, as captured by C-Span, argued in favor of H.R. 2176:

• William Clay (D-MO)
• John Dingell (D-MI)
• Dale Kildee (D-MI)
• Candice Miller (R-MI)
• Nick Rahall (D-WV)
• Bart Stupak (D-MI)
• Don Young (R-AK)

A review of political contributions available at newsmeat.com reveals Mike Malik, members of the Ilitch Family (including Mike & Marian Ilitch) and several lobbyists who represent their affiliates and partners (Alan Wheat, Julie Shroyer, Richard Alcalde & Daniel Feliz) have contributed more than $150,000 directly to political committees controlled by those seven Members of Congress. (See Contributions List)