According to the U.S. Senate Office of Public Records the following Washington D.C. lobbying firms have been retained by the Bay Mills Indian Community and its partners. Most of these firms were retained to push H.R. 2176 and plans for the Bay Mills Indian Community (backed by casino syndicator Michael J. Malik, Sr. and members of Detroit's Ilitch family) to build an off-reservation casino in Port Huron, Michigan:
@ Akerman Senterfitt
Joe Findaro
@ Alexander J. Beckles, LLC
Alexander J. Beckles
@ Cornerstone Government Affairs, LLC
John Crumbliss
Daniel Fleming
Geoff Gonella
Campbell Kaufman
John Keast
Louie Perry
James Richards
Mark Rokala
Amy Ford Souders
Timothy Sanders
@ Drinker Biddle & Reath
Virginia Boylan
@ Franklin Creek Consulting
Tom Brierton
@ Ghazal & Associates, LLC
Jay C. Ghazal
@ Patton Boggs LLP
Lawrence Roberts
Thomas McReynolds
Heather Sibbison
@ Potomac Partners DC
Rick Alcalde
Dan Feliz (Daniel Feliz)
@ Wheat Government Relations
Alan Wheat
Amanda Fein
Annie Minguez
Julie Shroyer
@ Zell & Cox Law, P.C.
Patricia M. Zell
Casino syndicator Michael Malik and Mrs. Marian Ilitch (she owns Detroit’s MotorCity Casino; her husband Mike Ilitch owns the Detroit Tigers; they own the Detroit Red Wings and Little Caesars Pizza) have been behind efforts to develop a casino with the Bay Mills tribe for more than a decade.
Known lobbying “clients” include: Bay Mills Indian Community, MJM Enterprises or MJM Enterprises & Development (Malik), Blue Water Resorts (Malik) and Wheat Government Relations.
Originally posted 6.10.08 and revised on 6.21.08.
Showing posts with label Heather Sibbison. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Heather Sibbison. Show all posts
Friday, June 27, 2008
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Patton Boggs registers as D.C. lobbyist for Barwest; same casino syndicators under investigation in CA
Patton Boggs LLP, the number one lobbying firm in Washington D.C., has officially registered as lobbyist for the Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians and the tribe's partner Barwest, a casino company formed by Mrs. Marian Ilitch (wife of Detroit Tigers and Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch) and Michael J. Malik, Sr.
While Heather Sibbison and other Patton Boggs lobbyists have appeared before various government agencies on behalf of Barwest in the past, the firm hasn't previously registered as lobbyists for the casino syndicator or its tribal partner. Sibbison and Patton Boggs have represented other casino gaming partners tied to Malik and Ilitch.
For the first quarter of 2008, Barwest paid Patton Boggs $50,000, likely for services rendered to push forward plans by Barwest (Malik/Ilitch) and the Los Coyotes tribe to develop an off-reservation casino in Barstow, CA. The Los Coyotes tribe paid nothing to Patton Boggs for representation during the first quarter of 2008.
These recent disclosures represent the first time that any Washington, D.C., lobbying firm has officially reported an engagement with the Los Coyotes tribe. In the past, other lobbying firms have disclosed their representation of Barwest and Michael Malik on matters related to a proposed Los Coyotes off-reservation casino; but never the tribe.
Dating back to 2005, Barwest engaged the services of Wheat Government Relations, a D.C. firm founded by former Congressman Alan Wheat. While Wheat Government Relations remains registered as lobbyist for Barwest; however, the Wheat firm has reported "no activity" on behalf of Barwest for more than two years.
CALIFORNIA INVESTIGATION
The California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) apparently has an ongoing investigation into irregularities in the reporting of campaign contributions and lobbying expenses paid by Mike Malik, Barwest (Malik/Ilitch) and the Los Coyotes Band of Indians.
In recent years, several California lobbying firms have registered as lobbyists for the Los Coyotes Band of Indians. Reports filed by the tribe and these lobbying firms indicate discrepancies in payments made and received. That's most likely because the tribe never actually made any direct payments to the lobbying firms.
Rather, the tribe's gaming partner, Barwest, has made hundreds of thousands of dollars in back-door payments to the California lobbying firms but Barwest (Mike Malik & Marian Ilitch) failed to register as a "lobbyist employer" and failed to make appropriate disclosures that would be required under California law.
Further, there are irregularities in California campaign disclosure documents that suggest one lobbying firm, Governmental Advocates, Inc., may have inappropriately been involved in funneling funds to candidates from Michael J. Malik, Sr. Although that firm has received payments from Barwest, neither the firm, Barwest or Malik have ever reported any formal lobbying engagement.
Several California legislators who may have inappropriately received funds from Malik via the lobbying firm (Senator Roy Ashburn, Assemblywoman Patty Berg) were also sponsors of a 2007 bill in the California legislature that would have granted legislative approvals for Barwest and the Los Coyotes tribe to build their Barstow casino. The bill failed.
In 2006, Barwest was fined by the FPPC on two counts for failing to report a $26,000 contribution Barwest paid in 2004 to the County GOP Campaign Committee of former Rep. Richard Pombo. At the time, Pombo was chairman of the House Resources committee and had oversight for Indian Gaming matters.
While Heather Sibbison and other Patton Boggs lobbyists have appeared before various government agencies on behalf of Barwest in the past, the firm hasn't previously registered as lobbyists for the casino syndicator or its tribal partner. Sibbison and Patton Boggs have represented other casino gaming partners tied to Malik and Ilitch.
For the first quarter of 2008, Barwest paid Patton Boggs $50,000, likely for services rendered to push forward plans by Barwest (Malik/Ilitch) and the Los Coyotes tribe to develop an off-reservation casino in Barstow, CA. The Los Coyotes tribe paid nothing to Patton Boggs for representation during the first quarter of 2008.
These recent disclosures represent the first time that any Washington, D.C., lobbying firm has officially reported an engagement with the Los Coyotes tribe. In the past, other lobbying firms have disclosed their representation of Barwest and Michael Malik on matters related to a proposed Los Coyotes off-reservation casino; but never the tribe.
Dating back to 2005, Barwest engaged the services of Wheat Government Relations, a D.C. firm founded by former Congressman Alan Wheat. While Wheat Government Relations remains registered as lobbyist for Barwest; however, the Wheat firm has reported "no activity" on behalf of Barwest for more than two years.
CALIFORNIA INVESTIGATION
The California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) apparently has an ongoing investigation into irregularities in the reporting of campaign contributions and lobbying expenses paid by Mike Malik, Barwest (Malik/Ilitch) and the Los Coyotes Band of Indians.
In recent years, several California lobbying firms have registered as lobbyists for the Los Coyotes Band of Indians. Reports filed by the tribe and these lobbying firms indicate discrepancies in payments made and received. That's most likely because the tribe never actually made any direct payments to the lobbying firms.
Rather, the tribe's gaming partner, Barwest, has made hundreds of thousands of dollars in back-door payments to the California lobbying firms but Barwest (Mike Malik & Marian Ilitch) failed to register as a "lobbyist employer" and failed to make appropriate disclosures that would be required under California law.
Further, there are irregularities in California campaign disclosure documents that suggest one lobbying firm, Governmental Advocates, Inc., may have inappropriately been involved in funneling funds to candidates from Michael J. Malik, Sr. Although that firm has received payments from Barwest, neither the firm, Barwest or Malik have ever reported any formal lobbying engagement.
Several California legislators who may have inappropriately received funds from Malik via the lobbying firm (Senator Roy Ashburn, Assemblywoman Patty Berg) were also sponsors of a 2007 bill in the California legislature that would have granted legislative approvals for Barwest and the Los Coyotes tribe to build their Barstow casino. The bill failed.
In 2006, Barwest was fined by the FPPC on two counts for failing to report a $26,000 contribution Barwest paid in 2004 to the County GOP Campaign Committee of former Rep. Richard Pombo. At the time, Pombo was chairman of the House Resources committee and had oversight for Indian Gaming matters.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Look who took part in preliminary discussions about Big Lagoon/Los Coyotes casinos
The following is reproduced from a “sign-in sheet” completed by those who attended a 2004 meeting in northern California to discuss a preliminary proposal for two off-reservation Indian casinos and resorts in Barstow, CA, to be developed and managed by Detroit-based Barwest, L.L.C. for the Big Lagoon Rancheria Indians (Humboldt County) and Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians (San Diego County).
SIGN-IN SHEET
Name | Tribe/Company |
Peter Engstrom | Baker & McKenzie (Counsel, Big Lagoon) |
Virgil Moorehead | Big Lagoon |
Shawna Neyra | Big Lagoon |
David Neyra | Big Lagoon |
Jake Miklojcik | Michigan Consultants |
Heather Sibbison | Patton Boggs/Barwest |
Lance Boldrey | Dykema Gossett/Barwest |
Anna Kimber | Tribal Attorney/Los Coyotes |
Katherine Saubel | Los Coyotes |
Kevin Siva | Los Coyotes |
Marc A. Palazzo | Barronhaus (Los Coyotes) |
Michael G. Rossetti | Akin Gump for Los Coyotes |
Robert Guenthardt | Barwest (former chair Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Manistee, MI) |
Ron Rector | City of Barstow |
Lawrence E. Dale | Mayor City of Barstow |
Michael J. Malik | Barwest |
John Feliz | Big Lagoon |
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