Barstow looks for a new lobbyist

7.10.08

City looking for new state lobbyist

By Aaron Aupperlee, city editor

BARSTOW — The city will be looking for a new person to bring the concerns of Barstow to Sacramento.

The City Council voted unanimously Monday night to cancel an existing contract with Nick Medeiros for state lobbying services and to put that position out to bid.

Council member Julie Hackbarth-McIntyre, who along with Mayor Lawrence Dale requested that the Council review the contract, said the decision to look for a new lobbyist was not made because the Council was unhappy with Medeiros. She felt that the contract, which was last updated in 1994, and the position needed to be examined.

The city paid Medeiros $2,500 a month to represent the interests of the city to members of the state legislature and other state government agencies. Medeiros has been the city’s state lobbyist since 1989.

Medeiros said he was not surprised that Council did not re-approve the contract. He said the Council has done this before. In 2004, the City Council voted 3-2 to look for a new lobbyist. Medeiros re-applied for the job and was awarded to the contract. Medeiros will be able to re-apply for the position this time as well.

Busy with the state’s budget crisis, Medeiros said he has not thought about whether to put in for the position again or not. “I really haven’t decided yet,” he said. “It’s up to the City Council.”

According to past reports, Medeiros lobbied hard to get a Veterans Home of California built in Barstow in 1997. Of late, Medeiros worked on the Los Coyotes and Big Lagoon Indian casino project for Barstow at the state level. The two tribes wanted to build a casino in Barstow instead of their own reservations. The compacts giving Barstow an Indian casino did not pass the state legislature in 2007, effectively killing the project.

Hackbarth-McIntyre said that the project’s failure had nothing to do with Council’s decision Monday night. She attributed the legislative defeat to the other Southern California gaming tribes.

“I think we can chalk that up to the big tribes,” she said.

The city is starting to look for new projects to be brought the state legislature, Hackbarth-McIntyre said. She said the Council is developing a new list of projects, objectives and goals and hopes to be able to send out the list when the position goes out for bid.

You may want to review these related posts:

• Sacramento lobbyist says Compacts are dead; people in Barstow & Detroit insist deals are still on life support


• Tribe's lobbyist reports Barstow gaming Compacts are dead; blames Governor Schwarzenegger


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


• Ilitch & Partners Plans for Commercial Gaming in Hawaii

Nick Medeiros has been the registered Sacramento lobbyist for the City of Barstow. Medeiros registered as the lobbyist for Big Lagoon Rancheria in August 2005.

A Pacific Business News story dated 12.19.03 indicates that Marketing Resource Group (BarWest's PR firm) hired Medeiros and several others to promote a plan to legalize gambling in Hawaii. That plan was backed by the same behind BarWest -- Michael Malik and Marian Ilitch. They paid the treo of lobbyists $152,699 for their work in Hawaii.

Despite lobbyists admitting defeat; Barwest launches ad campaign in last ditch effort

9.05.07

Casino backers try last minute effort to pass compacts

By JASON SMITH, staff writer

With about a week left in the 2007 legislative session, supporters of one proposed off-reservation Indian casino in Barstow are trying one final push to get the state legislature’s approval before the agreements expire.

State senators, Mayor Lawrence Dale, and representatives of the Big Lagoon Rancheria and Los Coyotes Indian tribes met in Sacramento on Wednesday to announce a renewed effort to lobby legislators to pass the compacts with the tribes to build a casino in Barstow. The compacts, signed by the governor on Sept. 9, 2005, will expire if not passed by Sept. 17.

The supporters have created a 30-second television commercial that will air in the districts of Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez, D-Los Angeles, and state Senate President Don Perata, D-Oakland, and in Sacramento. The commercial features Francine Kupsch of the Los Coyotes tribe, who originally starred in a 1998 ad used to support Proposition 5, which expanded Indian gaming in California. The ad blames “rich tribes who own casinos” for the stalling the compacts in the legislature and urges viewers to call the offices of Nuñez and Perata.

“We’ll be taking the issue directly to the public,” said Tom Shields, spokesman for the casino’s developer, BarWest LLC.

The tribes and BarWest will pay for the commercial, which will be broadcast during the next week.

“It’s unfortunate that it’s come to this,” he said.

Alicia Tross, spokeswoman for Senator Perata’s office, said she doesn’t think the efforts will be successful.

“There is just no time left in this session to move the compact,” she said.

She said that the senate has a rule that compacts must sit at the senate desk before being taken up for a vote.

Steven Maziglio, spokesman for Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez’s office, said that the speaker has not decided whether or not to support the compact because the compacts have not reached the Assembly floor.

Shields said that although the deadline will be tight, there is still hope to pass the compacts this year. He said last year at this time the compacts for the TASIN tribes, the Tribal Alliance of Sovereign Indian Nations tribes, passed in one afternoon at the end of the legislative session.

“In Sacramento, where there’s a will there’s a way,” he said.

Nick Medeiros, a lobbyist hired by the city of Barstow, recently wrote a letter to the city of Barstow calling passage of the compacts “doubtful this year. In order for the Barstow casino development to proceed the compacts would have to be approved by Sept. 17 and land for the project would have to be put into federal trust, a lengthy process that is still underway.

Contact the writer:
(760) 256-4126 or jason_smith@link.freedom.com

Barstow unlikely to get casino this year

8.31.07

Barstow unlikely to get casino this year

BARSTOW, California -- As reported: "Barstow appears unlikely to get state approval this year to build a casino, according to the city's lobbyist.

"Nick Medeiros, a lobbyist hired by the city of Barstow, said Thursday it is doubtful the state senate will approve the compacts for the Los Coyotes/Big Lagoon dual casino project before the legislative session closes on Sept. 11.

"'We're running out of time. It's unlikely that the compacts could be moved out of committee and be approved by both houses of the legislature before the end of session. It's probably not going to happen,' he said.

"...However, Barstow Mayor Lawrence Dale said that Medeiros' statement was an 'independent observation" and did not reflect the city's opinion. Dale said that there is still time this year for the compacts to pass.'

"...Sabrina Lockhart, spokeswoman for the governor's office, agreed it's too soon to dismiss the compacts as dead..."

Sacramento lobbyist says Compacts are dead; people in Barstow & Detroit insist deals are still on life support

An article published this afternoon in the Desert Dispatch indicates a Sacramento-based lobbyist for both the Big Lagoon Rancheria and the City of Barstow says the Barwest Compacts are dead at this time. But for the second year in a row, the same few people in Barstow and Detroit are trying to cover up the Barwest failures and want people to believe the Barwest Compacts are still on life support.

The truth is, legislative leaders indicated the Barwest Compacts were DOA (Dead On Arrival) back in 2005. An Assembly Committee voted the compacts down after an official hearing in 2006; and in 2007 Barwest failed to even get a hearing on the fatally flawed Compacts. The future for the Barwest Compacts gets dimmer each passing year.

Mayor Dale and Tom Shields are working for people who stubbornly refuse to back a plan that could get approved in the legislature.

As my grandmother often said, "...And people in Hell want ice water!"

8.30.07

City's lobbyist: Casino project probably dead

By JASON SMITH, staff writer

BARSTOW — Barstow appears unlikely to get state approval this year to build a casino, according to the city’s lobbyist.

Nick Medeiros, a lobbyist hired by the city of Barstow, said Thursday it is doubtful the state senate will approve the compacts for the Los Coyotes/Big Lagoon dual casino project before the legislative session closes on Sept. 11.

"We’re running out of time. It’s unlikely that the compacts could be moved out of committee and be approved by both houses of the legislature before the end of session. It’s probably not going to happen," he said.

In a Aug. 22 letter to Patricia Morris, assistant to the city manager, Medeiros delivered the bad news to the city.

"The Barstow gaming compacts appear dead for this year. The incredible power of the gaming tribes and their unlimited financial resources coupled with a lack of interest on the part of the governor have doomed this most worthy project," he wrote.


'There’s always hope'

However, Barstow Mayor Lawrence Dale said that Medeiros’ statement was an "independent observation" and did not reflect the city’s opinion. Dale said that there is still time this year for the compacts to pass.

"We have not closed the door on it, and I don’t feel the governor has closed the door on it," he said.

City Council members will lobby state legislators on the issue next week, when council members will attend the League of Cities Convention in Sacramento, he said.

He blamed other tribes that already have casinos for the lack of progress.

"It’s no secret that the big tribes are fighting us and fighting us hard," he said.

Tom Shields, spokesman for the casino’s developer, BarWest LLC, said that the fight would continue to pass the compact.

"It’s not dead. The legislature just passed the budget, we have three more weeks in session, and we will focus all our attention on convincing the legislature to pass the Barstow compacts," Shields said. (Full Story)

Tribe's lobbyist reports Barstow gaming Compacts are dead; blames Governor Schwarzenegger

With almost a month left in California's 2007 legislative session, a lobbyist for the Big Lagoon Rancheria has reported that for the second year in a row, the tribe has failed to win legislative ratification of a gaming Compact it negotiated with the Governor's office in 2005. He blames established gaming tribes and Governor Schwarzenegger for the failure without considering flaws, shortcomings of his client's unorthodox plan.

Nick Medeiros, a Sacramento lobbyist for both the Big Lagoon Rancheria and the City of Barstow, who previously worked on the failed effort by Marian Ilitch and Michael Malik to legalize gambling in the Hawaiian Islands, has reported:

"The Barstow gaming compacts appear dead for this year. "

"The incredible power of the gaming tribes and their unlimited financial resources coupled with a lack of interest on the part of the Governor doomed this most worthy project. A meeting with leadership in both houses is on the horizon to see if we can't get this project going in the right direction."

Nick Medeiros
Lobbyist, Big Lagoon Rancheria

This is the second year in a row that the Legislature has refused to ratify these unorthodox off-reservation gaming Compacts. The agreements with the Big Lagoon Rancheria and a quasi-partner, the Los Coyotes Band of Indians were negotiated by aides to Governor Schwarzenegger in 2005. Medeiros indicates that Schwarzenegger has grown increasingly disinterested with each subsequent failure.

In 2006, Barwest, the developer and manager of the planned casinos mega-resort could count just six members of the entire California Legislature who publicly declared their support for the scheme.

In 2007, only three members of the Legislature publicly declared their support.

If history's any indication, they'll be lucky to find anyone willing to author such a bill in the 2008 Session.

Medeiros' notion that a meeting with legislative leaders just might be the antidote to kick-start the proposals for a third go-around is nothing short of Pollyanna given some in legislative leadership identified the scheme as DOA when it was first revealed in 2005.

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.

You may want to review these additional posts:

• Where there's smoke, there's fire: Attorney attempts to clean up FPPC mess created when he failed to report $63,805 arrangement with lobbyist
• It appears the Big Lagoon Rancheria failed to file lobbying disclosures for 2nd Quarter 2007
• Lobbyist failed to report $66,677 from Big Lagoon Rancheria
• By Bankrolling lobbying expenses behind the scenes, Casino Syndicators were free to flow political cash
• Detroit-based Barwest LLC has paid more than $613,439 for casino lobbying support in Sacramento the last 18 months
• Amended lobbying registration suggests contracts with California tribes are being managed in Detroit, Michigan
• More Lobbying Irregularities related to Barstow Casino raising question about who's paying the bills and why they are hiding
• Ilitch Casino Lobbyist Keith Olberg is also president of a GOP attack committee funded by "swift-boat" founders
• Lobbyist indicates Senator Wiggins would sponsor Ilitch Family's Barstow casinos legislation
• SF Chronicle editors warned Willie Brown commands a high price and leaves little paper trail
• What was Willie Brown's role with Barwest's original Barstow casino proposal?
• Wife of Lobbyist returns to position in Governor's Office

Irregularities in Lobbying Disclosures for Barstow Casinos bankrolled by Ilitch Detroit-based Syndicate

“Intermediaries” are bankrolling lobbying and political contributions for two Indian casinos in Barstow, Calif. but failing to disclose the truth about who’s really behind the unorthodox proposals for two off-reservation casinos. Attempts to hide behind their adopted tribal partners have likely contributed to major discrepancies in a series of lobbying disclosure reports required to be filed with the California Secretary of State.

Records available from the California Secretary of State at (cal-access) document that The Big Lagoon Rancheria tribe has reported paying $99,000 to Sacramento GOP politico turned lobbyist Keith Olberg (Capitol Ventures, Roseville) through September 2006.

Lobbying disclosure documents filed by Olberg with the California Secretary of State, under penalty of perjury, only report he received $62,036 from The Big Lagoon Rancheria.

Olberg also reported receiving $62,036 from Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla & Cupeno Indians, but in disclosure reports filed for the Los Coyotes tribe there is never a reference to Olberg or payments to Olberg’s firm. Further, there are no official documents to indicate Los Coyotes tribe has ever authorized Olberg’s activity.

The Los Coyotes tribe has reported it is represented by Governmental Advocates, and that firm was paid $102,012 to represent the Los Coyotes tribe. Although not disclosed by Los Coyotes, documents filed by Governmental Advocates suggest in a footnote that the Los Coyotes bills are being paid by a benefactor:

“**FEES RECEIVED THROUGH INTERMEDIARY BAR WEST,INC.”

Governmental Advocates also represents the Big Lagoon Rancheria. There are no apparent discrepancies between reports filed by the Big Lagoon Rancheria and Governmental Advocates but those reports do indicate the same benefactor footing the Los Coyotes tribe’s bills is paying the bills for the Big Lagoon tribe. The Big Lagoon tribe has never disclosed a third party may be paying its bills.

A third California lobbying firm headed by Nick Medeiros is acknowledged as representing the interests of the Big Lagoon Rancheria since August 2005 but reports filed by Medeiros and the tribe do not indicate he has ever been paid for its services.

The apparent attempts to conceal payments for lobbying and political activity seem contrary to the intent of California’s political reforms. This activity suggests there is something worth hiding.

Driving the tribes’ quest to relocate casinos to Barstow is a Michigan casino syndicate headed by gambling maven Marian Ilitch owner of Detroit’s MotorCity Casino. She and her husband Mike Ilitch are co-founders of Little Caesar’s Pizza and owners of the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings. Ilitch controls at least 110 acres in Barstow and after approaching the City about a possible casino in 2001-2002, Ilitch and her partner Michael J. Malik, Sr. were introduced to leaders of the Los Coyotes tribe. After failing to get a stand alone casino approved by Governor Schwarzenegger in 2004, the Ilitch syndicate was introduced to the family that makes up the Big Lagoon Rancheria.

In September 2005, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed agreements with both tribes that could allow them to open casinos in Barstow, Calif., since then the tribe’s and their lobbyist have failed to develop support for their plans in the state legislature. Last summer a state Assembly committee rejected the agreements. The agreements must be ratified by both California’s Assembly and Senate in order for them to be valid. Absent concurrence in the state legislature, the agreements are set to expire in 2007.

Ilitch tapped Olberg to head her casino syndicate’s lobbying effort in Sacramento during 2006. Ilitch’s team racked up more than $400,000 in fees to Sacramento Lobbyists in 2006 trying to build support among lawmakers. Since 2002, Ilitch, her partners and affiliates have paid Capitol Hill Lobbyists almost $3 million for similar support.

Olberg is a former GOP Assemblyman and candidate for Secretary of State and Congress. He is also president of the 527-political organization, Economic Freedom Fund; a group TPM Muckraker referred to as a “GOP Attack Group.” Olberg’s wife, Delette Olberg, was employed as Governor Schwarzenegger’s director of scheduling during 2006.


You may want to review these additional posts:

• Where there's smoke, there's fire: Attorney attempts to clean up FPPC mess created when he failed to report $63,805 arrangement with lobbyist
• It appears the Big Lagoon Rancheria failed to file lobbying disclosures for 2nd Quarter 2007
• Lobbyist failed to report $66,677 from Big Lagoon Rancheria
• By Bankrolling lobbying expenses behind the scenes, Casino Syndicators were free to flow political cash
• Detroit-based Barwest LLC has paid more than $613,439 for casino lobbying support in Sacramento the last 18 months
• Amended lobbying registration suggests contracts with California tribes are being managed in Detroit, Michigan
• More Lobbying Irregularities related to Barstow Casino raising question about who's paying the bills and why they are hiding
• Ilitch Casino Lobbyist Keith Olberg is also president of a GOP attack committee funded by "swift-boat" founders
• Lobbyist indicates Senator Wiggins would sponsor Ilitch Family's Barstow casinos legislation
• SF Chronicle editors warned Willie Brown commands a high price and leaves little paper trail
• What was Willie Brown's role with Barwest's original Barstow casino proposal?
• Wife of Lobbyist returns to position in Governor's Office

Big Lagoon Chairman, Marian Ilitch up to old tricks; but threats and dishonesty haven't made progess in the past.

Blah ... Blah ... Blah ...

Big Lagoon Rancheria

January 8, 2007

For Immediate Release!

Contact: Virgil Moorehead

(707) 826‐2079

BIG LAGOON ACQUIRES 16 ADDITIONAL ACRES IN HUMBOLDT CO., NEW PARCEL IS ADJACENT TO TRIBAL RANCHERIA

EUREKA – Big Lagoon Rancheria announced Monday the purchase of 16 additional acres along the majestic North Coast of California, adjacent to the tribe’s 20‐acre ancestral lands of Big Lagoon in Humboldt County.

According to Virgil Moorehead, Big Lagoon Tribal spokesman, the Tribe is considering various uses for the property, including the restoration of the original village where the Tribe istorically settled. The Tribe will consider filing a land into trust application with the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs.

In September 2005, the Big Lagoon Rancheria signed a compact with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger that allows the Tribe to build a casino in the City of Barstow (San Bernardino County) in partnership with the Los Coyotes Band. As part of the compact, the Big Lagoon Rancheria also signed a settlement agreement with the State of California that calls on the Tribe to forgo gaming development on the Tribe’s Ancestral land along the scenic Northern California coastline, in exchange for a gaming project in Barstow.

The Tribe narrowly lost its bid for the Barstow project in the California legislature during the 2006 legislative session. It plans to support the re‐introduction of enabling legislation this year to ratify its compact.

Under the terms of the compact, the California lawmakers must ratify the compact with legislation in 2007 or the settlement agreement with the state would be invalidated, forcing a court mandated settlement.

# # #

With this press release, Virgil Moorehead's proven once again that he'll say anything or do anything. Threats and dishonesty are hardly the way to re-open negotiations with a California Legislature you failed to develop credibility with in the last legislative session.

Moorehead's claims that his Tribe "narrowly" lost its bid to have a Barstow casino approved during the 2006 CA Legislative Session is outright dishonesty. By writing it in the press release and distributing it to reporters, he's hoping that they won't know any better and they'll reprint his Spin as the California Legislature reconvenes.

The truth is Moorhead, his partners at the Los Coyotes Reservation in San Diego, the Detroit casino syndicators driving Moorehead and three Sacramento lobbying firms who were paid at least $350,000 - $500,000 last year failed miserably and were only able to get public commitments on the record from 6 members out of the combined 120 legislators who make up the Senate and Assembly.

Yes, a year and a half after Governor Schwarzenegger signed the agreements, Marian Ilitch's team and Moorehead were only able to round up six votes on the record. Four of those were onboard when the legislation was introduced last year, only two members joined the bandwagon after the agreements started to get a public airing.

The most passionate and committed champion of Big Lagoon's plan, Senator Wes Chesbro (his district included Humboldt County), was termed out of the legislature in the Fall. Moorehead and Marian Ilitch's pack of lobbyists haven't indicated who, if anyone would shepherd their plan through the legislature now and they've had four months to figure it out. That's not a good sign. This is exactly where they were a year ago ... a signed compact sitting in limbo with no sponsors in the legislature and no legislators committed to moving it through committee.

Of the five committed members remaining in the legislature, it's unclear if they're still on board with Moorehead; although 4 of the 5 represent districts serving Barstow, Los Coyotes Reservation or Big Lagoon Rancheria as one might expect. The five who publicly committed their votes last year include:

1. Senator Roy Ashburn (R-18)
2. Assemblyman Bill Maze (R-34)
3. Assemblywoman Patty Berg (D-1)
4. Assemblyman Jay La Suer (R-77)
5. Assemblyman Leland Yee (D-12)

You may also want to review these posts:

The Verifiable Truth: Big Lagoon Rancheria purchases 16 acres
The Verifiable Truth: Big Lagoon Rancheria trust plan under fire
The Verifiable Truth: In a move right out of the Ilitch Bay Mills playbook, CA's Big Lagoon acquires 16 acres, increases leverage
The Verifiable Truth: Ilitch’s Barstow schemes failed to make any substantive progress in Sacramento since 2005; aging agreements with Gov. Schwarzenegger expire soon
The Verifiable Truth:Overview of Ilitch CA Lobbying Expenses

Ilitch & Partners Plans for Commercial Gaming in Hawaii

Little is known publicly on the mainland about attempts by the Ilitch casino syndication partners to bring commercial gambling to Hawaii under the banner "Holomau Hawaii." But here's an excerpt from a mainland news story that provides some insight:

10.23.02
Detroit News

". . . The Hawaii proposal
The Ilitch venture in Hawaii -- big news in the islands earlier this year but barely known publicly back home in Detroit -- hasn't been just idle chatter. Investments have been discussed, seasoned help recruited, economic impact studies commissioned, legislation crafted and a grassroots effort mounted.

"The Web site of Holomua Hawaii, the Ilitch-backed coalition of mainland and island interests lobbying for Hawaii casinos, even features a link to MotorCity Casino. "Check out the MotorCity Casino in Detroit!" urges the Holomua Hawaii Web site (holomuahawaii.com). [site parked currently]

"She has a tremendous amount of entertainment experience," said Tom Shields, a Lansing public relations executive who has been battletested representing MotorCity Casino and is handling Ilitch's Hawaii efforts.

"Other high-profile holdings by Ilitch, the wife of Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Tigers owner Mike Ilitch, include the Fox Theatre, one of Metro Detroit's splashiest venues.

"Hawaii is one of only three states with no legalized gambling. Two Ilitch-backed bills allowing two casinos in the cash-strapped Aloha State were shot down earlier this year in the Hawaii Legislature, whose session starts in January and runs through April.

"But gambling is a hearty perennial issue there.

"They made a real run for it in 2002 and came up short," said Galen Fox, a House Republican leader in the Hawaii Legislature who opposes casinos. "There's a tremendous resistance to gambling in Hawaii, but it will come up again."

"For their part, Ilitch and Mike Malik, another Metro Detroiter backing casinos in Hawaii, are waiting to see who gets into office after the November election there to see if they and their Hawaii partners will take up the issue again.

"The Holomua partners -- Ilitch, Malik and about a dozen investors from Hawaii and California -- last talked about a month ago.

"There's still interest," Shields said.

"But he concedes that a realistic shot for casinos in Hawaii is "probably a few years off." The two bills that Holomua helped draft advocated two casinos on the island of Oahu. They would create more than 3,400 jobs and generate $75 million annually in gaming and other taxes, Holomua estimates.

"Trying to position itself as a grass-roots group, Holomua has collected 25,000 signatures from Oahu residents who support gambling there, Shields said. In 2001, Shields' firm hired a Honolulu lobbyist whose clients also include Abbott Laboratories, Motion Picture Association of America and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., according to the Hawaii State Ethics Commission.

"Michigan Consultants, another Lansing firm, conducted economic impact studies for Holomua. . ."

News stories direct from the Islands:

• "Casino backers prepare big push at Legislature "
• "Two groups back local gambling"
• "Group insist gambling 'logical; choice for isles"
• "Reinforcements arrive for isle casino fight"
• "House panel stops 2 gambling bills"
• "Ko Olina casino plan before Legislature would aid students"
• Editorial: "Casino owners say Hawaii is a winner and they're determined to get in the game"

Those consultants who pushed the Ilitch gambling proposition:

• Jack Seigle (Hawaii; apparently retired; long-time HI political consultant)
• Tom Shields (Lansing, MI; Ilitchs' primary counselor on political/PR matters; Marketing Resource Group)
• John Radcliffe (Honolulu, HI; lobbyist, Radcliffe & Associates, Inc/Capitol Consultants of Hawaii; web reference as of counsel to Shields' firm on casino and gaming issues since 2001)
• Frederick Hirayama (Honolulu, HI; lobbyist, registered as with G.A. Morris, Inc.; former state legislator; no other bio found)
• Nick Medeiros (Sacramento, CA; lobbyist, C.W. "Nick" Medeiros, Inc.; also connected to Ilitch's proposal for two casinos in Barstow, CA)

A Pacific Business News story dated 12.19.03 indicates that Marketing Resource Group (Shields) paid Radcliffe, Hirayama and Medeiros $152,699 collectively for lobbying.

Note: Radcliffe and G.A. Morris, Inc. also operate under "Capitol Consultants of Hawaii."