Ilitch partner hired lobbyists involved in congressional earmark scandal: Rep. Young - Coconut Rd., Florida

A Susan Crabtree, senior editor at The Hill, reports that Richard Alcalde, a lobbyist for Detroit casino syndicator Michael J. Malik, Sr., (Ilitch family gambling development partner) is in the middle of a political scandal involving Rep. Don Young.

Malik and Alcalde both have ties to Young. Malik and his casino development partners (members of Detroit's Ilitch family) have been among the Alaska Congressman's top political donors; and Malik's flown Young around on the Ilitch private jet.

Young has helped Malik and the Ilitch family advance casino gambling ventures in Congress. Malik retained Richard Alcalde after a previous lobbyist, Barbara Bonfiglio, came under negative scrutiny.

The Hill reports:

"In April, a casino developer behind the push to settle the land claims through an act of Congress hired Rick Alcalde, a lobbyist implicated in the uproar over a disputed $10 million earmark sponsored by Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) for an interchange at Coconut Road along Interstate 75 in Florida.

"MJM Enterprises, a company owned by Mike Malik, a casino developer who wants the land disputes settled so he can build a casino in Port Huron, Mich., hired Alcalde in the middle of a public call for a DoJ investigation into the Coconut Road earmark that was taking place in the Senate, lobbying records show.

"Alcalde is one of Young’s group of “A-list” lobbyists, on which The Hill reported in Thursday’s issue."