Political cheetah

The Sycuan Indian tribe, which runs an East County casino and also owns two downtown hotels, has turned up as a contributor to the GOP Lincoln Club — waging political war on behalf of downtown lobbyist Chris Cate’s city council bid — with $25,000. Meanwhile, a political committee run by Municipal Employees Union chief and ex–city councilman Michael Zucchet came up with $75,000 for the San Diego County Democratic Party, which is backing grant writer and Cate opponent Carol Kim. Zucchet beat a federal rap related to the Cheetahs strip-club bribery scandal that had forced him to leave the council in 2005.