Michigan Politics
By George Weeks

Arizona Republican Senator John McCain, chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, said Saturday he will soon release a report documenting the extent that tribes "were duped and exploited" by disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his cronies.

He said "in the next couple weeks" the committee would show that tribes, including the Mount Pleasant-based Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, were charged a combined total of excessive fees "in the tens of millions of dollars" - well beyond previously reported figures.

I talked to McCain, winner of Michigan's 2000 presidential primary and a prospective contender in 2008, by phone before his fundraisers for U.S. Representative Joe Schwarz (RBattle Creek) in Jackson, and state Representative Kelvin Elsenheimer (R-Bellaire) in Boyne Falls.

After the initial 2004 Washington Post report that Abramoff and publicist Michael Scanlon, with strong Republican ties, had received $45 million in fees from tribes, McCain said: "What makes this tale apart, what makes it truly extraordinary, is the extent and degree of the apparent exploitation and deceit."

Although Democrats also are tainted by the current lobbyist scandal, McCain said Saturday the wave of allegations of corruption represent "a downside" in Republican efforts to retain control of the House and Senate.

"The way things look now, it could be a rough year for Republicans," he said.

Back in 2000 when he won the Michigan primary, McCain

was out of sync with the party establishment, which supported George W. Bush.

This year, he's a helpmate for the Michigan GOP, raising money for local party organizations and 2006 Republican candidates, including Attorney General Mike Cox and Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land. He was the draw at a Land fundraiser Friday in Grand Rapids.

John Yob, a Grand Rapidsbased consultant who is a sixstate director for McCain's Straight Talk America political action committee, said the PAC has so far in this election cycle donated $140,000 in Michigan, including contributions ranging between $500 and $5,000 to all GOP county and district organizations.

Yob said McCain has helped raise "in the neighborhood of $1.5 million to $2 million" for Michigan Republicans and will be the headliner at a June 26 fundraiser for the state party, expected to produce at least $1.5 million.

Michigan, according to Yob, leads other states in this election cycle in number/duration of McCain visits, and in the amount of money he has raised/contributed.

Up North, Kelvin Elsenheimer is an interesting sidebar in the tale of The Michigan Journeys of John McCain.

In 2000, attorney Elsenheimer was the Antrim County Republican chairman - and county chairman for Bush's presidential campaign. (McCain outpolled Bush there, 2,194 to 1,807).

Both McCain and Elsenheimer laughed off the irony of McCain coming to Antrim County to help the man who helped McCain's opponent there in 2000. So it is in politics.

The late Saturday event was a fundraiser ($25 at the reception door and $500 for a smaller meeting with McCain) for "Forward Michigan," a fund that Elsenheimer established to raise money for GOP legislative candidates.

Some of the Elsenheimer funds are likely to be at play against 107th District Representative Gary McDowell (DRudyard),

and in the race for the open seat of term-limited Representative Rich Brown (DBessemer) in the sprawling sixcounty 110th District.

Battlefield Buddies

Navy officers Joe Schwarz and John McCain did not cross paths during the Vietnam War, but have forged a close bond as mavericks in the political battlefield. Schwarz chaired McCain's 2000 presidential campaign in Michigan.

Each was once a Lone Ranger.

In 2002, McCain campaigned for Schwarz in his losing gubernatorial primary race against Dick Posthumus, the choice of Governor John Engler and most others in the GOP establishment.

In 2004, McCain helped Schwarz win a tough six-candidate GOP congressional primary. Now he's helping Schwarz in what likely will be the year's toughest challenge of a House member from Michigan - the GOP primary.

His sole opponent is former state Representative Tim Walberg of Tipton, who finished third in the 2004 primary when he was among four conservative contenders. Walberg now carries the conservative flag, but the state and national party leaders are with Schwarz.

My bet is on Schwarz.

George Weeks recently retired after 22 years as political columnist for The Detroit News. His weekly Michigan Politics column is syndicated by Superior Features.