Bay Mills & Malik get into Plastics; Senator Stabenow announces they'll get $900,000 federal jumpstart

12.20.06
Blogger fnemecek @ Great Lakes Politics informs:

$900,000 Coming to Chippewa County

U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Carl Levin (D-MI) today announced that the Bay Mills Indian Community and Community College will receive $906,000 to construct a PLASTICS technology research, testing, manufacturing and training center. The funds were awarded through the Economic Development Administration (EDA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce.“This investment is great news for the economy of Northern Michigan,” insists Ms. Stabenow. “These funds will create good paying jobs in Chippewa County and help bolster economic development throughout the community.”

12.02.04
The PLASTICS venture was introduced at a Bay Mills General Tribal Council meeting in November 2004 as reported in the Bay Mills News:

...The council discussed the possibility of funding a joint-venture into a plastics business located in Kinross. Parker said it has the potential to be more profitable than the casino, and the wages in the manufacturing field are better than those associated in the service industry at the casino. The tribe would have to purchase a license to get into plastics manufacturing, but does not have the cost of the license as of yet. The tribe would supply the labor, training, and day-to-day operations, as well as minority status to the business, Parker said. A motion to approve joint-venture funding was approved unanimously...

Parker said the council will schedule a General Tribal Council (GTC) meeting to discuss the Charlotte Beach and Port Huron issue.

03.24.05
As subsequently reported in a Bay Mills News article reporting on a recent General Tribal Council meeting:

PLASTICS BUSINESS

...Parker [Jeff Parker, Bay Mills Chairman]said that Mike Malik is involved in the PLASTICS BUSINESS because the tribe did not want to expend any tribal funds on the project. He said the initial concept is to have the business in Kinross until the planned creation of an industrial park on tribal properties at I-75 and M-28.

..Another member said that it was his understanding that Malik would invest $1.3 million into the company and would own 49 percent of it, while Bay Mills would own 51 percent. He also recommended a committee be put together to investigate some of these allegations and report back to the GTC with their findings. Parker said he would like to have the tribe do the venture on their own, but said that they did it this way so they would not be out any money.

According to the watchdog group, Center for Responsive Politics at opensecrets.org, Michael Malik and his casino syndication partners contributed more than $113,000 to Senator Stabenow's 2006 re-election campaign prior to the Senator's announcement of the near $1 million grant to finance the startup of the PLASTICS business.


You may also want to review these posts:
The Verifiable Truth: Michigan Senator's re-election realizes $113,000 from Detroit syndicators after she introduces plans for their Port Huron Indian Casino
Candy Land: Calling for More Candy
The Verifiable Truth: Ilitch Family, Associate increased political contributions 2000%
The Verifiable Truth: Six bills in Congress, over six years & political gifts in the six figures: That's what Ilitch Family has invested in Port Huron Casino deal

Oscar, say it isn't so

Say it isn’t so: The Ilitch family is holding an Oscar Nite fundraiser to get other people to give them money in order to fund their Ilitch Charities for Children, a non-profit most people assumed was the Ilitch Family’s charitable foundation, their mechanism for tax deducted giving.

01.23.07
The Detroit News published today:

You don't have to shlump on your sofa and passively watch the 79th annual Academy Awards show.

Join the action on Feb. 25 by attending the Academy Awards-sanctioned charity gala Oscar Night America, or by vying against Detroit News Film Critic Tom Long's best award prognostications.

Oscar Night America will be held beginning at 6 p.m. at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor. Tickets are $50 and $150 with proceeds benefiting Ilitch Charities for Children. Partygoers will not only watch the Oscars on the big screen but they'll also walk away with a poster and official Academy Award program. (Full Story)Is the Oscar nite plan for Marian Ilitch to win Best Actress in a Philanthropic role? Or perhaps young Christopher Ilitch will take home the Oscar for Best Director of the people’s charitable funds? Did the Rockefellers or the Fords or the Johnsons actually “raise” money for their foundations? Or do Mike and Marian Ilitch see this like Warren Buffett giving his charitable funds to Bill & Melinda Gates for them to manage? Are Mike and Marian Ilitch our new substitute for United Way?

Or is this a creative way for them to raise capital in an era where they’re already over leveraged?


Regardless of what they're thinking; we're thinking it's absurd that a family worth $1.5 billion is raising money from other people so they can turn around and give it away in their own name.

SuperBowl XLI: Detroiters expected at Windsor Sports Betting Lounge

Casino bets sports book will be huge
Super Bowl fans likely to hit Windsor
January 22, 2007

BY ALEJANDRO BODIPO-MEMBA
FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER

This year's Super Bowl is in Miami after last year's stop in Detroit, but there will still be plenty of action this year not far from Ford Field -- across the river in Windsor.

Legends Sports Lounge, Casino Windsor's sports betting venue, which allows legal bets on the biggest gambling event of the year, is braced for a big boost from the Super Bowl.

On Sunday, the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts won berths in Super Bowl XLI.

"Every time there is a playoff game, you'll see our attendance peak," said Holly Ward, a spokeswoman for Casino Windsor. "What Legends has done is offer a unique opportunity for sports fans in Michigan and elsewhere to come here."

During the Detroit/St. Louis World Series, for example, patrons of Legends had to stand in line for two hours to place a bet, Ward said...

...Since it opened last fall, about 80% of Legends' business has been from Americans crossing into Canada to place bets. Ward said Casino Windsor has become a destination for sports gamblers from throughout the Midwest...

...Nevada offers the only legal sports book in the United States. The Oregon Legislature voted to end a lottery game after this season that allowed football gambling...

...Visitors can bet on professional football, hockey and baseball, as well as college football and basketball... (Full Story)

Deadline Looming in Calif Legislature; Ilitch casino team exactly where they were last year... scrambling for legislative sponsors.

With Friday's deadline (01.26.07) looming to have legislation drafted and in the system for California's 2007 legislative session, the Ilitch Team still has failed to produce anything concrete to suggest they're any further along than they were one year ago. Having failed to announce new legislation or a coalition of legislators prepared to sponsor legislation favoring their plans to relocate tribal casinos for Big Lagoon Rancheria and Los Coyotes Reservation Indians to Barstow in the Mohave Desert, it's a good bet to assume they're scrambling to pull something off by Friday's deadline.

01.22.07
The San Bernardino Sun reports:

"Two other tribes looking to bounce back from legislative setbacks last year are the Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians from north San Diego County and the Big Lagoon Rancheria Tribe based in Humboldt County. Schwarzenegger has signed compacts with both tribes for proposed casinos near Barstow, but an Assembly committee killed the deals in June.

"Those two tribes are working with BarWest Gaming, a Detroit-based developer. BarWest spokesman Tom Shields, said the tribes are trying to gain support for their project and are prepared to meet Friday's legislative deadline." (Full Story)

Back in August 2005, Ilitch & company concluded negotiations on their compact agreements with Governor Schwarzenegger's team. They failed in 2006 to generate any momentum or interest among the legislature which must "ratify" any agreements the Governor strikes with tribes. In June 2006 an Assembly committee rejected the agreements and they've failed to produce any true sign of progress since.

As part of Detroit's ongoing effort to block any other tribes from pursuing plans in the Barstow area, Shields bought himself some more time in August 2006, having failed in the last legislative session, saying that their team would get things done in January, but the month is nearly over, deadlines are looming and besides a couple of shallow press releases, the Ilitch team has failed to produce any signs of progress, for Los Coyotes and Big Lagoon casinos in Barstow once again. Sources in Sacramento indicate this is where they were one year ago. The author of their failed 2006 legislation was termed out of office in November 2006 and absent their ability to generate even modest support last year, that left them in a desperate situation.

Where in the world is Barbara Bonfiglio?

as posted 3.09.06 at Attytood.com:

UPDATE: The managing partner at Williams & Jensen tells us that Barbara Bonfiglio has left the firm to become a "senior compliance officer" at an unnamed Fortune 100 company. Will post more later if we learn more.

People who've been following our Rick Santorum coverage lately may know the name Barbara Bonfiglio. She's a one-time inside-the-Beltway lobbyist who still works for a leading governmental affairs shop, and who has pulled triple-duty for Pa's junior senator, as treasurer of his campaign fund; his leadership PAC, America's Foundation; and of his controversial charity/not charity, the Operation Good Neighbor Foundation.

Tonight, the ex-lobbyist who does Santorum's books has become a woman of mystery.

Bonfiglio is apparently out at Williams & Jensen, just days after she surfaced to write a letter defending the spending practices and the failure to register at the Santorum-founded Operation Good Neighbor. The wording in this Stockton (Calif.) Record article suggests she abruptly left there on Tuesday. We placed several calls to W&J, which didn't deny the report but -- perhaps because of some missed connections -- also did not provide any new information. (There's more in the Daily Muck.)

We've also emailed the Santorum campaign, though given our recent history we don't know if they'll get back to us. One other "leadership PAC," belonging to U.S. Rep. Richard Pombo of California, said it has severed its ties with Bonfiglio.

In hindsight, it's odd that Bonfiglio hasn't gotten more scrutiny before now. It's not exactly clear how many political committees that she oversees, although it's at least several dozen. Here's what the Center for Public Integrity said about her:

During her tenure as a lobbyist from 1998 to 2001, Bonfiglio mastered the demanding jobs of both overseeing the finances of 31 political committees—more than half of which were campaign committees and leadership PACs—while lobbying for six companies at the D.C. law firm Williams & Jensen. In addition to running FEC-regulated committees, Bonfiglio was also the treasurer of five 527 organizations once connected to Members of Congress, which were allowed to raise money without contribution limits.

In 2004, Bonfiglio's work for one of those politicians -- Tom DeLay (you may have heard of him?...he was in all of the papers) -- caused Texas lawman Ronnie Earle to serve her with a subpoena. And you may also know about one of Bonfiglio's other "leadership PAC" clients, Randy "Duke" Cunningham, who was just nailed for taking a whopping $2.4 million in bribes.

Suddenly, there's a certain irony in the title of Bonfiglio's book on campaign finance issues. It's called, "How to Cross the Potomac Without Falling In."

Here's how TPMmuckracker.com reported Bonfiglio's departure from Williams & Jensen

posted 3.09.06 at TPMmuckraker.com:

GOP Money Operative Quits Firm, Pombo

Barbara Bonfiglio, who was once treasurer to political action committees and other organizations for ethically challenged lawmakers Rep. Tom DeLay (R-TX), Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA), former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-CA) and others, just quit D.C. superfirm Williams & Jensen. She also stepped down from her post as treasurer of Rep. Richard Pombo's (R-CA) RichPAC.

Bonfiglio's got a colorful past: She was subpoenaed in 2004 by Texas DA Ronnie Earle as part of his investigation into Tom DeLay. She may have been involved in the effort by DeLay crony Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX) in sic'ing the IRS on the Texas watchdog group Texans for Public Justice. And she was listed as treasurer for Santorum's Operation Good Neighbor "charity," which used less than half of its money to do actual good deeds.

Or, as the Williams & Jensen Web site -- put it:

'Her clients include the Leadership PACs and campaign committees of several prominent Members of Congress. She also advises the firm's clients on matters involving House and Senate ethics rules, as well as compliance with the Lobbying Disclosure Act.'

Needless to say, we will probably hear more about her sooner rather than later. (Thanks to reader LR.)

Note: Bonfiglio signed Michael J. Malik's MJM Enterprises & Development as a client on Indian and gaming matters while she was concurrenty treasurer of Rep. Richard Pombo's leadership committee RICH PAC. While retaining Bonfiglio's firm, Malik his partners, affiliates and advocates contributed close to $100,000 to Pombo's committees and causes. MJM Enterprises, a brand few would have on their radar, quietly paid Bonfiglio's firm $220,000

Barbara Bonfiglio was associated with Rep. DeLay's "Celebrations for Children"

a press release distributed by Common Cause regarding "Celebrations for Children" (CfC) -- a controversial charity former House Speaker Tom DeLay had organized -- described Barbara Bonfiglio as follows:

"Barbara Bonfiglio (CfC secretary) – Worked as treasurer for Promoting Republicans You Can Elect Project (PRYCE Project), the political action committee for Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-OH). She is a partner for Williams & Jensen, a Washington law and lobbying firm. Bonfiglio’s clients have included DeLay, Rep. David Dreier (R-CA), chairman of the House Rules Committee and Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-CA), as well as Senate Majority Whip Don Nickles (R-OK) and Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Pete V. Domenici (R-NM). In 2003, watchdog groups filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission alleging that Pryce established two leadership political action committees in violation of campaign finance rules and that eight Republican congressional candidates violated the law by receiving contributions from the PACs. Bonfiglio was listed as the treasurer for the PRYCE Project and the second committee, Value In Electing Women PAC (VIEW PAC)."

Bonfiglio was treasurer for Sen. Santorum's controversial PAC

posted at ThePittsburghChannel.com:

Related To Story Video: Treasurer Of Santorum Charity Out

Team 4: Treasurer Of Santorum Charity Out

POSTED: 5:36 pm EST March 10, 2006

UPDATED: 6:51 pm EST March 10, 2006

The following report by Team 4 investigator Jim Parsons first aired on Channel 4 Action News at 5 p.m. on March 10, 2006.

---

Friday's development follows Team 4's report two days ago, and a report Thursday in the Washington Post that Sen. Rick Santorum has resumed his regular meetings with lobbyists -- even though he vowed in January to put an end to those get-togethers.

Now, the lobbying firm principal who controlled the money at Santorum's re-election campaign and his leadership PAC and his charity is out.

Barbara Bonfiglio, of the Washington lobbying firm Williams and Jensen, is quitting to work for a Fortune 100 company, according to Williams and Jensen CEO Steve Hart.

Hart said Bonfiglio's resignation means she will be stepping down as treasurer of Santorum's re-election committee and his political action committee, known as America's Foundation.

It's unclear if she will also resign her post as treasurer of Operation Good Neighbor, the charity Santorum founded in 2001.

A Team 4 investigation Wednesday showed how Operation Good Neighbor's purse strings and day-to-day operations are run by principals in lobbying firms.

The charity's tax filings reveal that from 2001 to 2004 -- the most recent year available -- Operation Good Neighbor spent $501,000 on grants to community groups. But almost half that amount -- $216,000 -- was spent on travel, meetings and conferences.

Team 4 has asked the senator's office and the charity itself for records that would show who was doing all that traveling for the charity and where they went.

The request continues to be denied.

"If there is no question as to the legitimacy and legality of their operation, then everything ought to be on the table for the media and anyone else to look at," said Gerald Shuster of the University of Pittsburgh.

Shuster, a political analyst, said because Santorum has proclaimed himself to be the GOP's point man on lobbyist reform, he should open the books at Operation Good Neighbor.

"He himself ought to make a statement and come to the forefront and talk to you in person or with any of the media and say here's our books, they're open, they're on the table. You guys can peruse the books and examine them for whatever you think there is there. There's nothing to hide. Here they are," Shuster said.

Team 4 asked Operation Good Neighbor if Barbara Bonfiglio will be replaced as treasurer with another employee of a Washington lobbying firm.

A spokeswoman did not answer that question directly, but said in a written statement that Operation Good Neighbor is currently working to fill the position of treasurer.

Note: Bonfiglio signed Michael J. Malik's MJM Enterprises & Development as a client on Indian and gaming matters while she was concurrenty treasurer of Rep. Richard Pombo's leadership committee RICH PAC. While retaining Bonfiglio's firm, Malik his partners, affiliates and advocates contributed close to $100,000 to Pombo's committees and causes. MJM Enterprises, a brand few would have on their radar, quietly paid Bonfiglio's firm $220,000

Rep. Lewis, Daughter used same PAC Lawyer Barbara Bonfiglio

as posted 6.07.06 at TPMmuckraker:

"Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA), the powerful House appropriations chief who's under investigation, hired a lawyer by the name of Barbara Bonfiglio to be treasurer of his own political action committee, Future Leaders PAC.

And who was the treasurer who helped found the Small Biz Tech PAC, run by Lewis' stepdaughter, Julie Willis-Leon? That's right: Barbara Bonfiglio.

Bonfiglio served as treasurer from the time of the group's creation in March 2005 to this February, when she was replaced by William B. Canfield, another partner at Bonfiglio's firm, Williams and Jensen.

Bonfiglio worked for a number of PACs with unfortunate histories of taking shady donations, including both Tom DeLay's ARMPAC, Randy "Duke" Cunningham's American Prosperity PAC.

Around the time she stepped down from being treasurer of Willis-Leon's PAC, she left similar positions with all of the others and abruptly left Williams and Jensen."

Detroit Mayor chronicles his selection of three casino development teams, explains preferences statute in Proposal E

Archer Names Three Finalists

This links to the text of remarks by Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer on November 20, 1997. At that time he announced his final three choices to develop and manage Detroit’s three commercial casinos as provided for under the passage of Proposal E in 1996.

The post is a great backgrounder on the Detroit casino chronicles leading up to the selection of MGM, Detroit Entertainment LLC (dba MotorCity Casino) and Greektown to develop and manage Detroit's three Las Vegas-style casinos.

In the 1970s former Mayor Coleman Young had been the first to propose consideration of gaming in Detroit as a catalyst for economic development. In making his announcement Archer chronicled the quest for Detroit casinos beginning in 1994 advisory measure to repeal Detroit’s ban on Gaming. That had been backed by local business people including Herb Strather, Nellie Varner and the group that formed the Greek Town team.

Archer explains how Governor John Engler blocked Detroit’s desire even after a blue ribbon committee and others had approved Gaming in Detroit and then to the eventual passage of statewide Proposal E in 1996 which included preferences for development teams that included local business and community leaders.

Archer detailed how it was he came to pick the three finalists over teams that included Mandalay Resort Group, Don Barden, Trump and Paradise Valley Rio. (later Circus Circus would merge into Mandalay Resort Group and so Mandalay ended up as part of the Detroit Casino scene anyway).

Marian Ilitch was a substantial partner in Atwater Casino Group (ACG) at the time Archer awarded one of three casinos to the partnership known as Detroit Entertainment LLC (DELLC). Circus Circus Michigan (Mandalay Resort Group) controlled majority interest in DELLC. ACG controlled 45% of DELLC most of which was owned by Marian Ilitch and was one of six ACG reps on the Management Committee yet Archer stated:

“The Atwater Casino Group recognized that it did not alone have the capital and the knowledge and experience to construct and manage a mega casino complex of the size and sophistication that we are contemplating for Detroit. Although others may not agree with his partnership decision, many analysts and other observers will readily assert that Herb Strather made a shrewd business judgment that married the business assets of both partners and put Atwater Casino Group in the best position to compete successfully in this selection process. “

Mayor Dennis Archer
November 1997

Fast forward to 2005, Marian Ilitch acquired outstanding shares of DELLC and is said to have sole control over MotorCity Casino although Ilitch Holdings wasn’t any better off in 2005 then it was in 1997; and the major Casino development phase (and requisite financing) that Archer had anticipated back in 1997 had still not begun as all three casinos were still in their temporary facilities.

The Atwater group including Marian wasn’t substantial enough, in Archer’s eyes to take on a project like MotorCity casino in 1997 but somehow on her own Marian Ilitch is capable of taking on MotorCity Casino and the development of the permanent casino and hotel in 2005? Just one more curious set of circumstances.

Those convicted in Jack Abramoff case

Those convicted in Jack Abramoff case

Ilitch partners and affiliates near $3 million in Capitol Hill lobbying expenses

Various Ilitch/Malik Backed Partnerships

Federal Lobbying Expenditures 2002 - 2006

		2002-2006 5 yr total
Barwest		$80,000
Bay Mills Indian Community		$1,020,000
Blue Water Resorts		$200,000
Gateway Casino Resorts		$360,000
Little River Band of Ottawa Indians		$280,000
MJM Enterprises & Development		$420,000
Shinnecock Indian Nation		$460,000
Total		$2,820,000

NOTE: Includes disclosure reports through mid-year 2006 available online from

the U.S. Senate Office of Public Records. Click on the “client” names above to

see more detailed disclosure documentation

Ilitch syndicates near $3 million lobbying for casinos on Capitol Hill

Various Ilitch/Malik (Team Ilitch) Partners & Affiliates Federal Lobbying Expenditures 2002 - 2006

		2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	5 yr total
Barwest		$0	$0	$0	$80,000	$0	$80,000
Bay Mills Indian Community		$280,000	$360,000	$260,000	$80,000	$40,000	$1,020,000
Blue Water Resorts		$0	$0	$60,000	$20,000	$120,000	$200,000
Gateway Casino Resorts		$0	$0	$60,000	$200,000	$100,000	$360,000
Little River Band of Indians		$40,000	$80,000	$80,000	$80,000	$0	$280,000
MJM Enterprises & Development		$0	$60,000	$160,000	$120,000	$80,000	$420,000
Shinnecock Indian Nation		$0	$0	$220,000	$160,000	$80,000	$460,000
Total		$320,000	$500,000	$840,000	$740,000	$420,000	$2,820,000

Source: as of January 15, 2007, U.S. Senate Office of Public Records;

http://sopr.senate.gov/cgi-win/m_opr_viewer.exe?DoFn=0.

The Center for Responsive Politics; http://www.opensecrets.org/lobbyists/index.asp.

The Center for Public Integrity; http://www.publicintegrity.org/lobby.

Google Earth Maps make it clear why Detroit Casino Syndicators won't settle for anything other than their Barstow location

A Picture (or Google Earth Map) as they say, is Worth A Thousand Words ...

Why have Detroit casino syndicators refused to bankroll casinos on the Big Lagoon and Los Coyotes Reservations or at least within their traditionally recognized ancestral homelands

Well, as they say, a picture's (or these maps are) worth a thousand words.

These 3 Google Earth maps below -- Big Lagoon Rancheria, Barstow and Los Coyotes Reservations -- are shot at the same scale, 43 miles. The yellow line on each map is representative of approximately 45 miles distance, as the crow flies. Each map notes the approximate location of nearby casinos existing or under development today.

The Detroit casino syndicators pushing to relocate the Big Lagoon and Los Coyotes casinos to Barstow, Calif. have shown no interest in financing projects on their partners' existing Reservations or within their traditionally recognized ancestral territories. It is important to realize they came to Barstow seeking to expand their Michigan gaming empire and then sought out Indian tribal partners who would relocate casinos to that community.

The Detroit casino syndicators negotiated an unprecedented 4o-mile radius exclusive non-compete zone around Barstow as part of gaming compact agreements with Governor Schwarzenegger's office. The Governor's former negotiator has indicated these shrewd gaming operators pushed for an even wider exclusivity zone during negotiations.

Big Lagoon Rancheria, Trinidad (Humboldt County) - there are four existing tribal casino operations within close proximity (less than 40 miles) of the existing Big Lagoon Rancheria 20-acre reservation. There are no major urban population centers or larger airports in close proximity to the Rancheria lands nor any high volume traffic corridors. The location is approximately five hours by car to either Sacramento or San Francisco.

Barstow (San Bernardino County) - there are no casinos today within a 50-mile radius of Barstow. The Nevada casinos are located at least 100 miles, as the crow flies, from Barstow and the San Manuel Casino in Highland, Calif., is located 75 miles by car, or slightly more than a one hour car ride away from Barstow. Barstow is located along the high traffic I-15 corridor with an estimated 60 million travelers going through the Barstow area annually enroute to Las Vegas, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and beyond. Although Barstow is not considered a highly urban area it is located 1 - 1.5 hours by car from the Anaheim, Riverside and San Bernardino areas and 2 - 2.5 hours by car from Las Vegas, Los Angeles or San Diego.

Los Coyotes Reservation, Warner Springs (San Diego County) - within a 40-45-mile radius of the 25,000-acre Los Coyotes Reservation there are approximately 20 casinos in operation or under development today; six of those are located within 10-20 miles of the Los Coyotes Reservation. They include some of the largest and most established Indian casinos in the U.S. San Diego County has one of the highest concentrations of casinos in the U.S. The Reservation is approximately 1.5 - 2 hours by car from Anaheim, Los Angeles, Riverside or San Diego. It is not located adjacent to a major interstate nor between any major destination points. There is a casino being developed within 8-10 miles of the Warner Springs area on the Santa Ysabel Reservation.

You may also want to review these posts:
The Verifiable Truth: News contradicts Ilitch, Los Coyotes say about prospects of northeastern San Diego County casino development
The Verifiable Truth: Tribes doing what Los Coyotes Neighbors describe as impossible

Tribes court Villaraigosa, highlight common ground to advance economic development interests

January 18, 2007

Gambling tribes courting labor's political friends

By James P. Sweeney

COPLEY NEWS SERVICE

TEMECULA – Seeking to reverse recent setbacks and improve their long-range political position, California's gambling tribes moved yesterday to establish common ground with labor-backed Democrats who blocked five new gambling compacts last summer.

The tribes not only invited Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to speak at a national gaming conference at Pechanga Resort and Casino, but also embraced him as someone who “could be one of our own,” and then gave him an extended standing ovation. Afterward, tribal leaders and others lined up to have pictures taken with the mayor.

Just six years ago, some of the same tribes helped defeat Villaraigosa in his first bid for mayor because he had supported labor's push for stronger collective-bargaining protections in the state's tribal gambling agreements. The issue has not gone away, which is why the pending compacts are stuck in legislative limbo in the state Capitol.

Villaraigosa, a former state Assembly speaker, remains one of labor's most prominent political allies in California. With his election in May 2005 as mayor of the state's largest city, the Democrat has quickly emerged as one of the favorites to become California's next governor.
Many tribes are still at odds with labor, but they recognize that as Villaraigosa's political stature grows, he could serve as someone who could bring adversaries together.

“There's no big mystery here. ... He's in the top tier of likely candidates for governor,” said Pechanga Chairman Mark Macarro. “But he's come looking for nothing other than to re-connect with tribal people and friends, because up until that one bill and that one vote back then, he had been with us.”

The bill was legislation that ratified the Pala compact, an agreement negotiated with former Gov. Pete Wilson when Villaraigosa was speaker in 1998. Villaraigosa helped push the measure through despite opposition from tribes, who objected to collective-bargaining language demanded by labor.

The compact was negotiated on behalf of the Pala band of North County, although all involved agreed that it was intended to serve as a model agreement for other tribes.

Three years later, when Villaraigosa was locked in a tough mayoral race against then-City Attorney James Hahn, tribes weighed in with more than $350,000 for radio and TV ads. One TV spot showed a man smoking a crack-cocaine pipe. The message portrayed Villaraigosa as soft on crime for seeking leniency for an alleged cocaine dealer.

“That was probably one of the worst mistakes we ever made,” said Michael Lombardi, a gaming commissioner for the Augustine band in Coachella and a tribal consultant. “It was not high-brow politics.”

But, Lombardi said, tribes believed Villaraigosa had assured them he would not back the Pala compact. The tribal money in the mayoral race was a response to a similar level of support the tribes believed Villaraigosa had received indirectly from the hotel and restaurant employees union, Lombardi said.

“So we made a mistake. He made a mistake. We're human. . . . This was an effort today to rectify that,” Lombardi said.

“This is the beginning of a new political relationship between California's gaming tribes and Mayor Villaraigosa, and I would say he was a big hit with our membership. This won't be the last time that the Indians and the mayor will be together.”

The effort to reconcile with Villaraigosa quietly began more than three years ago, one tribal source said. A few months ago, Anthony Miranda, chairman of the California Nations Indian Gaming Association, invited Villaraigosa to address the Western Indian Gaming Conference this week. The mayor quickly accepted.

Miranda also had reached out to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in remarks delivered to the same gathering last year. Within months, the chilly relationship many tribes had with the Republican governor had thawed and long-stalled negotiations on new gambling agreements quietly resumed.

In August, Schwarzenegger signed deals that would allow Pechanga, Sycuan of El Cajon and three other tribes to add 22,500 more slots to their already successful casinos. But those agreements were blocked by Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez, a Los Angeles Democrat and Villaraigosa ally.

Debate on ratification of those compacts is expected to resume soon, but Núñez has made clear he will insist on stronger labor provisions.

Villaraigosa said in an interview yesterday that he was eager to bury past differences with some of the state's most powerful tribes, who are among the state's biggest political contributors.

“I accepted this invitation because I've had a long and positive relationship with the tribes over the years,” Villaraigosa said.

In his remarks, he applauded the tribes for the invitation and echoed their assertion that they have much in common.

“I'm here today because Native American leaders stood up and said 'Enough,' ” said Villaraigosa, apparently referring to the stalemate. “In Los Angeles, in 2005, we practiced what tribal leaders have always preached. We pulled our strengths together, instead of dividing our power. We concentrated on our commonalities, instead of dwelling on our differences. We did it together.

“I'm here to say we need to get together. I'm here to say we need to stay together.”

Find this article at: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20070118-9999-1n18tribes.html