David Barnett is up to his old political tricks.
The Seattle developer behind the proposed Cowlitz casino spent $59,000 on last-minute mailers designed to defeat Tom Mielke in the race for Clark County commissioner, according to the Nov. 1 Columbian.
If you feel a sense of déjà vu, that's because Barnett pulled the same stunt against Mielke in 2005.
Mielke, long known as an opponent of Barnett's proposed Cowlitz casino, is in a tight race with Pam Brokaw (stay tuned for a final vote tally). In 2005, Mielke lost (with 48.3 percent of the vote) to Steve Stuart -- after Barnett gave $100,000 to an out-of-state PAC that turned around and spent $86,000 on last-minute mailers designed to take down Mielke.
The composition of the Board of County Commissioners is being influenced by a man whose apparent sole interest in Clark County is a mega-casino and resort that three local communities and the county itself officially oppose!
Barnett's recent spending "dwarfs any other single expenditure in the race, which had already been the county's most expensive this year," according to The Columbian.
By the way, Clark County's political circuit is not the only recipient of Barnett's bounty. Recall that Barnett has been filling Snohomish County mailboxes with information attacking a county councilman there who opposes his proposal for a 6,000-house development in a rural part of that county. On Oct. 21, The Seattle Times reported that he had told County Councilman Dave Somers and an aide that "he was prepared to spend $2.5 million to unseat Somers if he continued his opposition to Barnett's proposed development."
Federal decision-makers are looking for a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in the Cowlitz casino application, and the county seems willing to negotiate a replacement for the now-invalid MOU with the tribe.
The big question now is: Will Barnett's investments in Clark County politics pay off?
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
For more information, check out the CARS Web site:
Who’s behind the proposed casino project?
Many of CARS’ stories about this casino proposal describe it as the work of “the Cowlitz Tribe.” But every time we attribute it to “the Tribe,” we wince.
The casino project is being driven by the Salishan-Mohegan partnership, which includes:
+ the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority (49.15 percent)
+ David Barnett (Salishan Co.), son of the late tribal Chairman John Barnett (sharing 43 percent with the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians)
+ the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians, California (sharing 43 percent with David Barnett)
+ the Mohegan Tribe, Connecticut (7.85 percent)
According to the development agreement, the partnership would receive fees equal to 3 percent of total project costs. The management agreement states that Salishan-Mohegan would manage, operate and maintain the casino-resort for seven years and earn 24 percent of annual net revenues.
We want to be clear: CARS is critical of the casino proposal and the way it has been pursued. Beyond its involvement in the casino, we have no issue with the Cowlitz Tribe.
The casino project is being driven by the Salishan-Mohegan partnership, which includes:
+ the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority (49.15 percent)
+ David Barnett (Salishan Co.), son of the late tribal Chairman John Barnett (sharing 43 percent with the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians)
+ the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians, California (sharing 43 percent with David Barnett)
+ the Mohegan Tribe, Connecticut (7.85 percent)
According to the development agreement, the partnership would receive fees equal to 3 percent of total project costs. The management agreement states that Salishan-Mohegan would manage, operate and maintain the casino-resort for seven years and earn 24 percent of annual net revenues.
We want to be clear: CARS is critical of the casino proposal and the way it has been pursued. Beyond its involvement in the casino, we have no issue with the Cowlitz Tribe.
About CARS
Citizens Against Reservation Shopping (CARS) is a group of Clark County, Wash., citizens formed in June 2005 and led by longtime Vancouver businessman and civic leader Edward Lynch.
CARS opposes the Cowlitz Tribe's plan to build a casino in Clark County in part because it objects to the practice of "reservation shopping." This is the practice of selecting an ideal casino site and then working to have it given reservation status.