Casino developer pours last-minute cash against Mielke

(updated)

Would-be casino boss David Barnett cut checks for $59,000 this week opposing county commissioner candidate Tom Mielke. The political fliers seem likely to arrive in mailboxes sometime this weekend.

Neither Mielke nor his opponent, Pam Brokaw, say they oppose the Cowlitz Tribe's proposed reservation and casino near La Center. Both say they want the county to sign a new, stronger deal with the tribe in case the federal government approves the casino.

Barnett, the son of a former tribal chairman, has a contract to develop the casino for the tribe and take a share of its revenue.

Brokaw said Friday that Barnett had approached her "about a week ago" to offer his direct support, but she turned him down.

On Wednesday, LRNW LLC, a company owned by Barnett, hired Seattle marketing firm Strategies 360 to produce and mail $59,000 worth of political fliers.

Mielke said this follows in the path of a similar action in 2005, when a Barnett-funded PAC spent $86,500 to defeat him in an earlier commissioner race against now-Commissioner Steve Stuart.

"Once again, they're interfering with the operation of Clark County and not being upward and forward about it," Mielke said.

Both Brokaw and Mielke expressed surprise Friday to be told of the contribution, which was filed Thursday with the state public disclosure commission.

"I have stayed neutral on this and haven't taken money from any gambling interest, tribes or anything," Brokaw said. "This is something that folks have the right to do, but it's not something that I have anything to do with at all."

Mielke has directly accepted $7,500 from La Center's four existing casinos, which have long opposed a larger tribal operation nearby.

Last week, the county Republican party, boosted by a big donation from the local Building Industry Associaton, dropped $28,800 on the other side of this race with a sharp anti-Brokaw mailer and TV campaign.

But here's a question: why so late in the race? More than 100,000 ballots have already been cast. How many can possibly be left?

More in Saturday's paper. If you've seen these mailers yourself, we'd love to know.

michael.andersen@columbian.com