Where I Stand: First political attack for 1998 falls on its face

Monday, April 7, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

BEFORE LEAVING for Carson City, it's necessary to clean up my desk and get bits and pieces of information passed on to SUN readers.

Most notable is the expensive media campaign being waged by the Nuclear Energy Institute to dump high-level nuke waste on Nevada. A large newspaper advertisement in Oregon included a one-way sign and "Send nuclear waste on a one-way trip ... out of Oregon." Yes, that sign was pointed at Nevada.

The wealthy nuclear-industry giants continue in their efforts to force all U.S. taxpayers into assuming the expensive responsibility of caring for this deadly waste during the next 10,000 years. That's the waste they created when making themselves rich.

Last week, an advertisement paid for by Citizens for Reform had to be rejected by the SUN after it ran in the other daily newspaper. It was written to attack Sen. Harry Reid, but carried a picture of Sen. Richard Bryan. It was so bad that the group had to apologize the next day. Not only was the picture wrong, but the ad was attacking Reid for not voting to override President Clinton's veto of the bill banning partial-birth abortions. Wrong again! Reid did vote against partial-birth abortions and also to override the veto.

So who are Citizens for Reform? Are they a group dedicated to protecting children and preventing abortions? Hardly. They are a hard-core group from Vienna, Va., run by Peter Flaherty, that targets Democrats any time it can. The misguided attack on Reid appears to be a blow attempting to soften him up for his 1998 race.

A recent article in the Washington Post passes on this bit of information: "The groups, with bland names such as Citizens for Reform and the Republic Education Fund, spent millions of dollars on television advertising, mailings and telephone banks in the closing weeks of the campaign, mostly on the side of the Republicans. None of their activities was reported to the Federal Election Commission.

"'The public has no idea who these people are or where they're coming from or who funds them,' said Charles Lewis, executive director of the Center for Public Integrity, which monitors political ethics. 'They are trying to influence the political process and the public is in the dark.'

"For example, a group called the Coalition for Our Children's Future spent more than $700,000 on television and radio ads, mailings and telephone banks to bolster GOP candidates in key races from Louisiana to California. ...

"One group, created last spring and calling itself Citizens for Reform, spent $2 million in the closing days, according to its president, conservative activist Peter Flaherty. In California, it sent mailings into the district of Democratic Rep. George Brown, accusing him of being sexist and anti-consumer. The Consumer Federation of America, cited as the source in one flier although it endorsed Brown, denounced the mailing as 'extremely misleading and grossly unfair.' In Montana, the group bought television time calling Democratic congressional candidate Bill Yellowtail a convicted criminal who 'preaches family values .. but took a swing at his wife.' ..."

Now that we know what the Citizens for Reform represent and how they function, they will probably make their next paid attack under some other name, like Fairness for Nevadans or Republic Education Fund. Reid will continue to be the target of big-money extremist groups. Bryan will also become their target about two years before he runs again. The best they can hope for is that their attackers will at least have their pictures and voting records correct.

Southern Nevadans have an opportunity to participate in an Assembly Judiciary Committee hearing at 8 a.m. Tuesday. The hearing will be teleconferenced from Carson City to the third floor of the Grant Sawyer Building, 555 E. Washington Ave. Assemblyman Dennis Nolan, R-Las Vegas, is seeking citizen input for his Assembly Bill 142, which is designed to protect children from sexual molestation. This bill will need help from interested parents of young children. ... On Friday, Assemblyman Mark Manendo, D-Las Vegas, has scheduled a hearing at 8 a.m. in Room 4400 of the Grant Sawyer Building. His bill, AB109, would make a $6.7 million appropriation for a Southern Nevada Veterans' Home and is the second item on the Assembly Ways and Means Committee's agenda. It's an expenditure that is worthy and long overdue. ... Assemblywoman Marcia de Braga, D-Fallon, has moved her AB188 through the Assembly, and it should pass the Senate. It's a good bill which allows county commissioners to create an office to coordinate services for veterans. ...

Nevadans should be proud of Barbara Henry, publisher of the Des Moines Register newspaper. She's a dynamic leader in the media world, who hasn't forgotten her roots in Reno. Despite several large newspapers charging for death announcements on obituary pages, she has refused to accept a paid-obit policy. U.S. News & World Report magazine quotes her as saying the practice is "outrageous" and that the obituary page "is not only news, it is extremely important news." That's the way to go, Barbara. ... Archie Robison was one of the real good old-time sheriffs who served rural Nevada for many years. Robison was sheriff of White Pine County for 16 years and served in law enforcement for more than twice that many years. He died in Ely last week. ...

The dedication of Richard Bryan Elementary School was a most pleasant and entertaining evening. The school choir was delightful and Bryan, most gracious, was a hit with the kids. That's what it is all about.