There are two ways to view Robert Davis' manic lawsuit filings. Either he's an overly-litigious crank or the powers that be in this town play so fast and so loose with the rules that you can't walk down the street without tripping over another potential lawsuit.
Today, Davis is asking the Michigan Gaming Control Board to revoke Greektown Casino owner Dan Gilbert's gaming license because he violated rules that prevent casino operators from donating money to political committees.
Detroit News: Davis, in the complaint filed Thursday with the Michigan Gaming Control Board, claims the Detroit-based mortgage lender’s own political action committee — Quicken Loans Inc. Independent Political Action Committee — made a direct contribution of $34,000 to the Mike Duggan for Mayor Committee. State records confirm the donation was made in July.
Davis said the $34,000 contribution is “in the same vein” as an $80,000 contribution Quicken Loans gave in August to a pro-Duggan super political action committee. That money was withdrawn in recent days amid questions of its legality since Gilbert’s Athens Acquisition LLC is majority owner of the Greektown Casino-Hotel in Detroit.
The $80,000 Quicken donation to Duggan's superPAC, Turnaround Detroit, was returned last week. Davis claims a refund of this $34,000 Quicken PAC donation as well as contributions to four City Council candidates wouldn't resolve the issue because he claims the money has already been spent.
State law says violations of the gaming ordinance are punishable by a $10,000 fine, up to 10 years in prison, and revocation of a gaming license.
If Davis' claim seems far-fetched consider that he also took the lead to remove Mike Duggan's name from the August primary ballot and, more than a decade ago, Greektown Casino founder Ted Gatzaros and Jim Papas were forced to sell their shares of the venture before it opened because of licensing problems.
According to the Detroit News, Quicken spokespeople say they are looking into the matter.
