Mar. 25, 2006
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Titus, Gibson square off
Democratic candidates for governor exchange criticisms face to face
By KATHLEEN HENNESSEY
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The two Democrats vying for the party's nomination for governor sparred Friday over ethics reform, abortion and party bona fides in their first televised one-on-one debate.

In a taping of the news program "Face to Face with Jon Ralston," Henderson Mayor Jim Gibson accused state Sen. Dina Titus of following a pattern of "political expediency" and questioned her commitment to ethics reforms.

Titus challenged Gibson's Democratic credentials, attempted to link him to the "good ol' boys" of Nevada politics and once referred to his answer as "mumbo jumbo."

The two candidates for the Aug. 15 primary tangled over a series of ethics reform measures Titus proposed Thursday. The 12-step program includes tighter fundraising restrictions aimed at stopping "pay-to-play" governing at the city and county level. The measure would have prevented Gibson, a three-term mayor, from collecting donations from developers with land-use permits pending in his city.

"Either get on board and clean it up, or let's have politics as usual, same good ol' boy, same special favors," she said.

When pressed by Ralston, Titus conceded that she was "not saying anybody has done anything illegal."

Gibson accused Titus, a five-term senator and political science professor, of coming late to ethics reform and trying to capitalize on public concern over recent corruption and pay-for-influence scandals.

The Gibson campaign has criticized Titus for not backing an ethics reform proposal in the 2005 legislative session that was introduced by a political rival. The bill, AB419, sponsored by fellow Democrat Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins of Henderson, died without a vote in a Senate committee that Titus sat on without her making an effort to save it. At the time, Perkins was assumed to be Titus' chief Democratic challenger in the 2006 governor's race.

Ralston asked Gibson to clarify a statement made in October when the mayor indicated he would sign a bill outlawing abortion in Nevada should Roe v. Wade be overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.

On Friday, Gibson, who is opposed to abortion, said he is "not an activist" and would never propose an abortion ban, though he said he didn't think the issue would come up.

When pressed by Titus, who called his response "more lawyer talk," Gibson said: "I'm never going to criminalize abortion."

Titus continued to try to paint Gibson as a Republican in Democrat's clothing.

She noted that the mayor has contributed to Republican Rep. Jon Porter and attended a 2001 inaugural party for President Bush.

Gibson said he never contributed to a Republican presidential campaign and gave money to Porter out of friendship, not politics.

Mar. 15, 2006
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: Democrats find two candidates
Developer, tourism expert decide to run
By MOLLY BALL
REVIEW-JOURNAL

After tense months without a candidate for lieutenant governor, Nevada Democrats now have two, ensuring there will be at least one primary in that race.

Bob Unger, a Henderson developer, confirmed that he will run for the post, as did Robert E. Goodman, who was a member of Gov. Mike O'Callaghan's Cabinet in the 1970s.

Although several other Democrats declined to run for the office, the party wasn't worried, according to Nevada Democratic spokeswoman Kirsten Searer.

"We were confident that we could find a qualified candidate, largely because it's a seat we can win," Searer said.

Unger, 54, practiced law before becoming wealthy in real estate. He developed the Showcase Mall on the Strip and the Tuscany master-planned community near Lake Las Vegas, among others.

Unger said his background may not be in politics, but he is ready to run for statewide office. "The first real estate deal I did was the Showcase," he said. "My parents taught me not to be afraid. I think I'm qualified."

Unger said he was urged to run by friends who heard him complaining about the Bush administration "and said, 'Maybe you should run.'"

He has also served as president of the Las Vegas Jewish Federation, which raises money for Jewish organizations; on the Henderson Planning Commission; and on the fund-raising foundation for St. Rose Dominican Hospital.

"After asking for charity money all these years, asking for political money might be easy," said Unger, who says he's not going to pour his own money into the campaign.

Born in Brooklyn to working-class parents who died in their 50s, Unger said he remembers his humble beginnings and wants to help others.

"I am the American dream realized," he said. "We have to make the American dream happen for everybody else."

Goodman, 72, was director of the Department of Tourism and Economic Development under O'Callaghan, who served as governor from 1971 to 1979. He says he was responsible for creating the state's Motion Picture Commission and its Foreign Trade Zone in Las Vegas.

Since the lieutenant governor now chairs the state's commissions on tourism and economic development -- a change that occurred under O'Callaghan -- Goodman figures he is a perfect fit.

"I've got the experience," said Goodman, who is not related to Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman. "I did it before, and I've got 30 years of contacts and connections."

In 1973, when an oil embargo was causing a gasoline shortage, Goodman had members of his staff rent cars and demonstrate that the round trip from Los Angeles to Las Vegas could be accomplished on a single tank of gasoline, helping keep tourism afloat during the fuel crisis.

For the past 25 years, Goodman said, he's been working abroad with gaming interests, mostly in China and Japan.

"The international market is so important for Nevada," Goodman said. He also said he would bring creativity to the office of lieutenant governor.

On the Republican side, State Treasurer Brian Krolicki had raised more than $600,000 for his run for lieutenant governor as of January.

Former Las Vegas City Councilwoman Janet Moncrief, who was ousted in a recall, said Tuesday she was still deciding whether to run. She said earlier this month she would probably do so.

Krolicki said he didn't mind the company in a race in which he was previously unopposed.

"We've always presumed we'd have extremely difficult primaries and an extremely difficult general election," he said. "This doesn't change what we're doing."

POLITICAL NOTEBOOK: GOP peace candidate challenging Ensign

63-year-old sought offices in Michigan before moving here
By MOLLY BALL
REVIEW-JOURNAL

[[[Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., has been promoted to her third leadership position since 2002. Berkley was named senior whip last week by House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland.
Photo by Christine H. Wetzel.

Ed Hamilton
Retired Chrysler executive is challenging Sen. John Ensign in the Republican primary

"If good people file (to run) who represent the political views of this district, which is relatively conservative, then I won't run.''
LYNN HETTRICK
ASSEMBLY MINORITY LEADER]]]

Sen. John Ensign has a challenger in the Republican primary -- and he is a veteran candidate.

Ed Hamilton, a 63-year-old retired Chrysler executive, ran for many offices in Michigan before he moved to Las Vegas.

According to published reports, since 1998 Hamilton has run twice for Michigan governor -- once as a Democrat, once as a Republican. He also staged bids for Michigan's House of Representatives and Senate, the U.S. Senate and Oakland, Mich., county executive. He lost all of the races.

In 2002, Hamilton ran simultaneously for U.S. Senate and governor, although he dropped out of the latter race when he couldn't get enough signatures to make the primary ballot.

Hamilton, who was born in Indonesia to an American father and Indonesian mother, said he is running as a peace candidate.

"I think we need a new strategy in Iraq, and no one is talking about it," he said. "The Arabs need to work it out among themselves. We need to pull back to a safe zone and be in a supporting role to reduce casualties."

Civil war in Iraq, he said, is inevitable. "This is normal in the history of countries," he said, noting the U.S. Civil War. "Unfortunately, there will be more bloodshed."

Hamilton hopes to give Ensign a fight in the primary, on the principle that not even a popular incumbent should sail back into office.

"A primary election is about debating the tough issues," he said. "It shouldn't be a coronation process."

Poll shows tightening race

Jim Gibson and Dina Titus are in a closer race for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination than they were a few months ago, according to a poll released last week.

Asking Democrats likely to vote in the primary who they support, a Washington polling firm reported that 32 percent were for Titus, the state Senate minority leader, and 26 percent for Gibson, the mayor of Henderson.

Some voters said they were undecided but leaning toward one candidate or the other. When those numbers were included, the score was Titus 36, Gibson 34 -- a result that falls within the poll's 3 percentage point margin of error, meaning it is a statistical tie.

That's a surprising result considering the conventional wisdom -- that Titus, because she is more liberal, is the primary favorite.

A poll conducted by the same firm in October, had Titus with a 13-point lead on Gibson.

The poll was conducted for the Gibson campaign and surveyed 1,104 voters.

"It means we're in the ballgame," pollster Fred Yang said.

"Thirty percent undecided is pretty high," Yang noted. "I think it means (Democratic voters) think they have two good options. They haven't made a decision yet, and they like both."

To the Gibson campaign, the results made sense considering Gibson hadn't officially announced his candidacy in October.

"It's comforting to know that the gap appears to have narrowed since voters have gotten to see both candidates up close and personal," Gibson campaign spokesman Greg Bortolin said.

But Titus' campaign says the poll doesn't make sense. "I don't think it reflects the reality of what we have been seeing out there," spokeswoman Jennifer Knight said, noting that Titus last week picked up the endorsement of the union that represents entertainment workers.

"It defies logic, unless not showing up for a major Democratic event because he missed a plane is helping (Gibson's) numbers," Knight said. In January, Gibson missed a debate in Northern Nevada because he arrived at the airport without his wallet and his identification.

Hettrick re-election up in air

Assembly Minority Leader Lynn Hettrick, R-Gardnerville, is not yet ready to say he won't run for re-election. But he's very close.

"If good people file (to run) who represent the political views of this district, which is relatively conservative, then I won't run," he said. "But I don't want to abandon the district to somebody who doesn't represent the district's political views."

The 61-year-old businessman said he's had enough of the job. "I've raised a lot of money for a lot of people, taken a lot of phone calls, answered a lot of questions," he said. "Finally, I said, 'If I have to do it next time, I definitely will quit.'"

Hettrick declined to speculate on who might replace him at the head of the GOP caucus.

"There are two or three people there at least that are more than capable of being minority leader," he said.

Democrats promote berkley

Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., has been promoted to her third leadership position since 2002.

Berkley was named senior whip last week by House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland.

There are about 30 senior Democratic whips, according to Berkley spokesman David Cherry.

Previously, Berkley served as an at-large whip and a regional whip. She will retain her title as a regional whip in her new position.

As a senior whip, Berkley will expand her responsibilities to convince all Democratic House members to support various legislative issues.

Senior whips also meet every week to discuss Democratic strategy and priorities.

Stephens Washington Bureau writer Tony Batt contributed to this report. Contact political reporter Molly Ball at 387-2919 or MBall@reviewjournal.com.

Feb. 25, 2006
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

JANE ANN MORRISON: A grandmother's gumption helped crack the case of a cowardly act

Her name was Crystal, a name that suggests beauty, delicacy and fragility.

Even the disturbing picture taken after her death showed that Crystal Figueroa was a beautiful child. At the age of 3, of course she was delicate. Her death proved that she was fragile.

And now we know that at least her grandmother loved her.

No longer will she be known as Jane "Cordova" Doe, a toddler abandoned in an apartment Dumpster.

For the past six weeks, when nobody reported her missing, it was a pretty sure thing that her death was not caused by a stranger. When no sobbing mother came forward, it was obvious.

On Friday police released details. Crystal was beaten so severely, she had two fractured ribs and her pancreas was lacerated. She had bruises on her chest, stomach, back and bottom, arms, hands, legs and above her vagina, according to the autopsy. Her face had visible scrapes. The cause of death: Blows to her abdomen. The blows may have come from a fist or by kicking or using some object; it's not certain.

Crystal's corpse, however, was a road map of pain and terror, showing the horrors of life with her mother and her mother's boyfriend.

And it gets worse. When Crystal started vomiting before she died, her mom changed her mind about getting her help at a hospital, apparently fearing it might create problems for her boyfriend, according to police records. Otherwise, Crystal might have lived.

Mom is Gladys Perez, 24, now charged with murder by child abuse and child neglect. Her boyfriend, Marc Anthony Colon, 28, is charged with murder by child abuse and child abuse. Now we know that they were traveling with Crystal, her 7-year-old sister, Lesly, and Colon's two daughters.

Six weeks of intense police work to identify this child in the white coat covered with pink hearts ended when Crystal's grandmother and Gladys Perez's mother, Lilia Perez, smelled a rat and reported her granddaughter was missing.

Lilia Perez told a detective in Visalia, Calif., that her daughter called asking for money Feb. 16 and wouldn't let her speak to her granddaughters. She filed a missing persons report Feb. 19, and the next day, when Gladys Perez again called asking for money, Lilia Perez spoke to her older granddaughter, Lesly. The police report says that when the grandmother asked about Crystal, Lesly said she wasn't allowed to talk about her. Then Gladys Perez snatched the phone from her.

It took gumption for that grandmother to file a missing person's report when she probably suspected that her daughter was involved. Some relatives might hesitate, worry about getting involved or creating a crisis in the family.

Lilia Perez apparently was totally unaware of the media frenzy that spread Crystal's story all over Las Vegas, making national and international news. She just knew her granddaughter was missing and her daughter's explanation wasn't cutting it.

Why were we so fascinated by this child's dreadful death when so many children die? Probably it was the indignity of how she was found: Crystal shouldn't have been lying in the trash in a Dumpster at The Fountains at Villa Cordova, the place that provided her a pseudonym for six weeks.

And the new information from the police Friday made it even more ghastly.

Police records allege Gladys Perez said that on the evening of Jan. 11, Crystal began vomiting. Colon and Crystal's mom did the right thing at first: They went looking for a hospital and found one.

But self-preservation kicked in.

Instead of trying to get medical help, the couple decided against going inside. They were afraid Crystal's injuries, as well as injuries visible on Gladys Perez, would get them in trouble, since Colon was on parole.

"Crystal stopped breathing in the car," the police report says, based on a statement from Gladys Perez.

So Crystal ended up in that Dumpster.

Kudos to the grandmother who did the right thing. Kudos to local police who worked the case furiously during a period when they were truly under the gun themselves in two shootouts and a funeral. Kudos to Detective Duane Cornett of the Tulare County Sheriff's Department, who took that missing child report and worked it hard and discovered the identity of Crystal Figueroa.

Jane Ann Morrison's column appears Monday, Thursday and Saturday. E-mail her at Jane@reviewjournal.com or call 383-0275.

Feb. 09, 2006
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Douglas to seek re-election
Judge says he will pursue six-year term on state's high court
BY SEAN WHALEY
REVIEW-JOURNAL CAPITAL BUREAU

[[[Photo of Michael Douglas]]]

CARSON CITY -- Supreme Court Justice Michael Douglas announced Wednesday he will seek a full six-year term on the court in the November general election.

Douglas currently is serving the abbreviated two-year term he won in 2004.

"We have made incredible strides in creating a more efficient and effective court, but we can do better," Douglas said. "There is much left to do."

Among the goals for the court he would pursue if re-elected are streamlining the processing of appeals, providing fast-track processing for child-custody appeals and improving courthouse security for the public.

"I also believe we can strengthen the education of existing judges, specifically in cases dealing with medical malpractice, the death penalty and domestic violence," Douglas said.

Douglas was appointed to the Nevada Supreme Court by Gov. Kenny Guinn in March 2004 to fill the vacancy created by the death of Justice Myron Leavitt.

When he was appointed, Douglas said being the first black person to serve on the court was important to him, but not as important as doing a good job.

Douglas went on to retain the seat in the 2004 election by defeating Las Vegas attorney Joel Hansen.

Douglas now is seeking re-election to a full term.

Referring to his time on the court Douglas said: "I have enjoyed working with all of the other justices and I look forward to working with them in the future and drawing on their collective expertise."

Douglas has lived in Nevada since 1982, when he moved from Philadelphia to work for Nevada Legal Services. Two years later, he was hired by the Clark County district attorney's office where he served in the civil division until 1996, when he was appointed by Gov. Bob Miller to a seat on the Clark County District Court.

Douglas went on to retain his seat during the 1996 election and continued to serve on the District Court until his appointment to the Supreme Court. While on the District Court, he served as a business court judge and was elected chief district judge in October 2003.

He is married with a daughter and two grandchildren.

Feb. 07, 2006
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Jack Carter kicks off campaign for Senate
By K.C. HOWARD and ED VOGEL
REVIEW-JOURNAL

Jack Carter, with his dad, President Carter, by his side, makes an appearance Monday at the AFL-CIO Complex in Henderson to begin his campaign for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican John Ensign. Photos by Clint Karlsen.

Jack Carter officially announces his candidacy for the U.S. Senate Monday morning before a crowd at the AFL-CIO Complex in Henderson.

It was hard to tell who was more popular with the audience at congressional candidate Jack Carter's campaign announcement Monday -- the candidate or his dad.

Carter, 58, officially announced his campaign against Republican U.S. Sen. John Ensign with his children and famous father, President Jimmy Carter, and first lady Rosalynn Carter by his side.

"I campaigned for dad all over the country," Jack Carter said.

Now, he said, it's his turn.

His message to about 300 audience members at the AFL-CIO Complex in Henderson emphasized he is no carpetbagger, but a native Nevadan in spirit who "just found out about it a few years ago."

Carter, a resident of Summerlin, moved here in 2002.

His afternoon appearance in Carson City drew a slightly larger crowd, 350, according to police estimates.

"I didn't know there were this many people in Northern Nevada, particularly Democrats," he quipped to the crowd gathered near the Legislative Building.

Much of his speech in both ends of the state was spent criticizing the Bush administration -- its Medicare drug plan, the response to Hurricane Katrina, the National Security Agency's domestic surveillance program, a growing federal deficit, and its justifications for invading Iraq. He did not mention Ensign by name in either speech.

The ills of the country's health care system, foreign policy and deficit can be solved by a "return to our American core values and new leadership," he said repeatedly.

"I am a businessman. I want results. I don't want partisan bickering," said Carter, owner of an investment consulting firm.

He pegged his opponent as a Bush-administration lackey, saying his opponent has voted with the Bush administration 96 percent of the time during the last five years.

"He is tighter with the administration than Tom DeLay," he said. "He works for the Bush administration. I want to work for Nevada."

A spokesman for Ensign, Jack Finn, noted the senator's fight against the administration's plan to store nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain.

Ensign also opposed the administration's attempt to divert to federal coffers more funds from the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act, which in 1997 he authored as a member of the House.

"Those two things alone should speak volumes," Finn said to Ensign's willingness to oppose the federal government "when it's the right thing to do."

After the Las Vegas speech, Carter told reporters he doesn't support abortion, but as a "personal freedom person" he's "pro-choice."

He received a general discharge from the Navy in 1970 after he admitted to smoking marijuana and taking LSD.

Carter said it's up to Nevadans, who will vote on a referendum to legalize the drug in November, to decide whether to regulate pot.

"I don't care, frankly," he said.

In his speech, he said the war in Iraq has been "one faulty political judgment after another, followed by brilliant military expeditions by our troops."

"We have a responsibility to the Iraqi citizens to leave them with a stable government."

Carter said his biggest challenge in the race will be his short-lived residency.

"I have not lived here for 30 years and I don't have 30 years of relationships," he said.

That could be where dad makes all the difference, said political expert Erik Herzik, a professor at the University of Nevada, Reno.

"I can easily see Jimmy Carter coming back to the classic Las Vegas lunch or dinner," Herzik said, estimating he could probably raise about $1 million for his son.

But the sizeable gap between the two's campaign war chests, he said, is insurmountable for Carter, who reported $223,600 in cash on hand in the most recent campaign finance disclosure report.

Ensign, who is running for his second term, had $2.37 million.

If he remains the sole Democrat in the race, "We'll make sure that the eventual nominee has the resources necessary," said Phil Singer, spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

Jimmy Carter lost in Nevada in both presidential campaigns. In 1980, he failed to win a single county, Herzik said.

The former president, 81, jumped off the stage after his son's address Monday as a gaggle of media surrounded in a hot semi-circle of elbows, cameras and lights. In Carson HeCity, he signed autographs, posed for pictures and hugged babies. He told the crowd of his son's background in business, physics and law.

"He knows what he is doing," Jimmy Carter said. "He will never lie to anyone. He will never give up. When he tells you something. You can count on it."

He said he'll encourage his son to connect with rural areas and seek numerous small contributions.

His role in his son's campaign will focus on fundraising nationally.

Jimmy Carter characterized the Bush administration's use of the NSA surveillance program without search warrants as illegal. He questioned how many Americans have had their rights violated.

Carter signed an executive order in 1979 authorizing electronic surveillance for domestic surveillance. But on Monday, he said his provision required approval of a blue-ribbon court to conduct domestic surveillance.

Allowing domestic eavesdropping was a difficult decision, but he said, "I thought civil liberties prevailed."

Also attending Carter's announcement was the head of Nevada's AFL-CIO, Danny Thompson, and Terry Hickman, president of the state teacher's union.

Hickman said he believes Jimmy Carter will be an asset to his son's campaign.

"His dad doesn't vote (in Nevada)," he said. "But as you can see here any time a former president comes to Nevada everyone circles."

Jan. 18, 2006
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Gubernatorial hopefuls seek business vote
Five candidates break bread with local leaders, pitch their platforms
By K.C. HOWARD
REVIEW-JOURNAL

[[[Bob Beers

Jim Gibbons

Jim Gibson

Lorraine Hunt

Dina Titus]]]

Five would-be governors sat together for the first time this political season Tuesday, appearing before local business leaders in Las Vegas and vying for their support in what will be a contentious primary eight months away.

They met at the Stardust, glad-handing business moguls and potential donors over scrambled eggs at the Nevada Development Authority's breakfast meeting.

Instead of trading barbs and digs, they gave five-minute speeches about themselves, their families and their platforms.

Audience members later asked candidates about education and a tax and spending initiative and got a taste of some of the sexier issues this political season.

"No, No, No, maybe," said state Sen. Bob Beers, R-Las Vegas, identifying other candidates' positions on his Tax and Spending Control initiative, which he is trying to get on the ballot. "This drives politicians nuts."

His brainchild, known as TASC, seeks to limit government revenue to the previous year's revenues adjusted for population growth and inflation.

Nevada political experts have pegged the issue to be a hot one for the far right who will come out for a sizzling summer primary in August to pick one Republican, but one that will be harder for moderates to support in the general election.

"In that Republican primary, you figure they're going to be catering to the base and that's going to be the issue," said David Damore, University of Nevada, Las Vegas political science professor.

Congressman Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., is the only candidate who has not yet staked out a position on TASC.

Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt, also a GOP contender, said she considers TASC the equivalent of governmental handcuffs.

Henderson Mayor Jim Gibson and state Sen. Dina Titus of Las Vegas, the Democratic candidates, said they believe it's restrictive and detrimental to local governments.

They all espoused education and its benefit to Nevada's economic diversification, but candidates differed on spending and on whether to break apart the Clark County School District.

Hunt and Titus favored a decentralization approach, altering the structure of the country's fifth-largest school district's administration instead of breaking it up into smaller regional districts.

"If you think one bureaucracy is bad now, you're going to create five," Titus said.

Gibbons said the growth of the district is not something of which Nevada should be proud and has come out in favor of breaking the district into smaller sections; Beers said the current system is unwieldy, noting there are about 240 administrators in the district not assigned to a school site.

Gibson said he wanted to examine both sides.

Most of the forum, though, was spent on the equivalent of introductions as candidates spun their qualifications.

"I have never led men and women into a boardroom to make a decision but I have led men and women into battle," said Gibbons, who served in the Vietnam and Persian Gulf wars.

He talked about his upbringing in Sparks: His father was a ditch digger and his mother was a real estate agent who unsuccessfully ran for mayor and taught him about public service.

Gibson, a fifth-generation Nevadan, detailed the successes of Henderson's expansion and his "progressive" record, promoting child literacy and public-private partnerships to foster the city's growing infrastructure.

"We've dealt with the challenges of rapid growth without raising property taxes," he said.

Hunt, business owner and developer, referred to her past seven years serving "a breath away from the governor," her experience as a Clark County commissioner and her work increasing Nevada's global economy as training for the job.

"My years in the public sector and the private sector have really, truly groomed me to be your next governor," she said.

Beers' speech was as short as the state budget he'd like to draft, taking fewer than his five minutes to point out the exponential growth in state government over the years and the need to control it.

"As the cost of government goes up, I believe economic development activity gets harder and harder," he said.

Titus discussed the need to fund education to spur economic development and, in a reference to family histories brought up by other candidates, warned the coming race "is not about all these ancestors that a lot of people like to talk about."

With almost two decades in the state Senate, she said she will be running on her legislative record and the need to go "gangbusters into the future."

Jan. 13, 2006
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Boggs McDonald cleared in ethics case
Williams' testimony in two-day hearing called 'tortured'
By DAVID McGRATH SCHWARTZ
REVIEW-JOURNAL

Lynette Boggs McDonald
County commissioner said about her accuser: "I have no ill will for him. I pity him."

Lynette Boggs McDonald hugged her mother and broke down in tears Thursday as the Nevada Commission on Ethics cleared her of accusations that she violated state ethics law in 2003.

The 5-1 ruling ended a 15-month ordeal for the former Las Vegas councilwoman and current county commissioner. She was accused by former Assemblyman Wendell Williams of trying to influence a bill during the 2003 legislative session that her husband had worried threatened his job in the state treasurer's office.

The hearing, which spanned two days, stemmed from an October 2004 ethics complaint filed by a resident of her commission district while Boggs McDonald was in a contentious race for her Clark County Commission seat.

"I never believed I did anything improper," Boggs McDonald told reporters after the hearing, which ran for three hours on Thursday and 12 hours on Wednesday. She conceded, however, that she had not slept well recently.

"It's hard to prove something that didn't happen, didn't happen," she said.

Five of the Ethics Commission members, though, decided that they simply didn't believe Williams' testimony enough to penalize Boggs McDonald and leave a mark on her reputation.

"It comes down to whether Lynette Boggs McDonald communicated with Wendell Williams to benefit (her husband) Steven McDonald," said Commission Chairman Caren Jenkins. "I didn't hear credible evidence that she did so."

Jenkins called Williams' testimony "tortured" and filled with contradictions.

Boggs McDonald, however, did not escape without a few dings.

Steven McDonald testified that he complained just about every day to his wife about his job as a deputy treasurer. He also said that he had concerns about how Senate Bill 446, a proposal to reorganize the department which was passed by lawmakers, would have affected his position.

The final legislation had no effect on Steven McDonald's job. He was asked to resign as a deputy treasurer in September 2003.

Both Steven McDonald and Boggs McDonald testified under oath that he never mentioned the bill to his wife.

"It's inconceivable he did not express his concerns (about the legislation) to Lynette Boggs McDonald," said Commissioner James Kosinski.

Commissioner Rick Hsu, who asked some of the most pointed questions on Wednesday, said that he didn't fully believe that the two never discussed the bill.

"Lynette Boggs McDonald's self-serving presentation does not wash," he said.

Commission members also dismissed the contention by Boggs McDonald's lawyers that members of the City Council could not be considered in a position of influence over a city employee, even if that worker didn't directly report to them.

The lone vote to find Boggs McDonald violated ethics was cast by Commissioner William Flangas.

"I believe the public trust has been literally raped," he said.

Flangas had read a statement at the beginning of deliberations saying that he would vote for a conviction.

Flangas cited some disputed evidence, such as a September 2003 phone call from Boggs McDonald's cell phone to a phone number that Ethics Commission officials originally thought had belonged to Williams. Later, evidence showed that the phone number was that of another city employee.

Lawyer John Mowbray, who with Bill Terry represented Boggs McDonald, said he believed Flangas had already made up his mind before hearing any testimony.

The most startling testimony came on Wednesday from Assemblyman Morse Arberry, who contradicted earlier statements attributed to him as part of a report on the accusations against Boggs McDonald by commission staff. He denied in testimony before the commission that he had previously said Boggs McDonald called him and was angry about the legislation. He also said some of his statements had been taken out of context.

Commissioners questioned why Arberry hadn't brought up the differences between his memory and the staff report before the hearing. They had mailed a copy of the interview summary by FedEx to Arberry's office and his office manager signed for it. Arberry said Wednesday it was possible that it was still sitting unopened on his desk, months later.

On Thursday, commissioners questioned the likelihood of that.

But Boggs McDonald said she wouldn't worry about the political ramifications of the accusation. And about Williams, she said, "I have no ill will for him. I pity him. It was his own actions that brought him down."

Jan. 10, 2006
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Brager announces bid for Boggs McDonald's commission seat
By ADRIENNE PACKER
REVIEW-JOURNAL

[[[Susan Brager]]]

Saying she will provide stable representation to residents of Clark County Commission District F, longtime school board trustee Susan Brager announced Monday that she is a candidate for the seat held by Lynette Boggs McDonald.

Brager, a Democrat, said the people who live in the fast-growing southwest region of the county deserve consistent leadership, and instead the district has had three different commissioners in five years.

"It's been transitional," said Brager, who has served three terms on the Clark County School District Board. "I want to bring stability. I'm not looking for another seat; I'm not looking for something else."

Former Commissioner Erin Kenny, who pleaded guilty to federal political corruption charges in 2003, served the district from 1995 through 2002.

Mark James replaced Kenny but abruptly resigned in 2004.

Boggs McDonald, a Republican, was appointed to the District F seat in March 2004 by Gov. Kenny Guinn. She then won an election to keep the office later that year.

But because James' term was scheduled to expire Jan. 1, 2007, the seat is on the ballot in November for a full four-year term. The primary is Aug. 14.

Brager said she has been frustrated by the lack of forethought by county government when it comes to traffic problems and related infrastructure, such as traffic signals.

She noted a series of deaths on the state-owned Blue Diamond Road near Durango Drive. Residents have pleaded with elected officials to install a signal at the intersection.

"We've had deaths on Blue Diamond Road for 20 years," Brager said. "I realize it's a state road, but we need to work together. Safety is an issue. I'm not a do-nothing person."

Brager, a real estate agent, also is the chairwoman of the Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition, an advisory committee that makes recommendations to local government bodies.

Although she has enjoyed her tenure on the school board, she said, she believes she can do more for the entire community as a county commissioner.

"It seems like a natural transition," she said.

Brager said she hopes to boost public faith in government, which has been shaken by a year of developments in a political corruption case involving four former commissioners, including Kenny.

"My record as an elected official speaks for itself," she said. "I'm not beholden to anyone. My votes as a trustee are always made with an eye toward what will best benefit my constituents and the children of Nevada."

District F is a largely Democratic district, but Boggs McDonald managed to defeat former Democratic Assemblyman David Goldwater during their 2004 race.

The former Las Vegas City councilwoman has run into ethics troubles since that election, however.

A complaint filed against her last year will be heard Wednesday by the Nevada Commission on Ethics.

The complaint alleges she tried to influence legislators in 2003 to kill a plan by state Treasurer Brian Krolicki to reorganize his office.

After the reorganization, Boggs McDonald's husband, Steven, lost his job as deputy treasurer for unclaimed property.

Boggs McDonald did not return a phone message seeking comment Monday.

One of Boggs McDonald's political consultants, Ryan Irwin, said he expects Boggs McDonald will beat the ethics complaint and will be successful in maintaining her seat on the County Commission.

"It's hard for them to use (the ethics complaint) as a weapon if and when she is found innocent, which I think is likely," Irwin said.

Boggs McDonald's accessibility to her constituents and the progress she has made in the district during her two years on the board probably will be enough to earn her another term, he said.

He noted that it was Boggs McDonald, not the school board, that forced Rhodes Ranch developer Jim Rhodes to fulfill an obligation to provide land for a new elementary school near his development.

"She historically and every day does a good job for her community," Irwin said. "She's made some incredible in-roads for the constituents, and I think anyone will find she is tough to beat."