LV lawmaker interested in Henderson allegations

Larry Henry

Wednesday, Feb. 12, 1997 | 4:23 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Sen. Mike Schneider, D-Las Vegas, says he'll meet this week with FBI agents investigating alleged corruption at Henderson City Hall.

But some legislators, including leaders from Schneider's own party, are questioning why Schneider is "meddling" in a district he doesn't represent. Schneider, a former assemblyman who won election last year in Senate District 8, represents Spring Valley and other areas of the western Las Vegas Valley.

"I think it's a little bit strange," said Assembly Majority Floor Leader Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, a police captain. "I have no evidence of corruption or I'd have brought it forward myself."

Schneider said he talked Monday with Walt Stowe, second in command of the Las Vegas FBI office, about a meeting Friday.

Schneider doubts he'll be able to shed light on allegations, which come primarily from his friend and campaign contributor Ron Coury, a casino owner, that the City Council "shakes down" developers.

Schneider, a developer who says he doesn't do business in Henderson, has no proof of corruption.

"I don't have a lot of information I can give them," Schneider said.

FBI officials refused to discuss the issue.

"The FBI can neither confirm nor deny," said spokeswoman Debbie Calhoun.

Schneider's meeting Friday stems from a letter he wrote to the FBI Jan. 7 asking for an investigation.

Schneider said he wrote the letter after Coury and other developers told him the City Council extracts favors before granting building permits.

"They're saying that to do business in Henderson, everybody shakes you down," Schneider said. "That's pretty common knowledge."

Henderson Assistant City Manager Vicki Taylor said, "We can't make a comment."

Schneider said he became involved because Coury lives in his district and has been a friend for 20 years. The Castaways, a hotel-casino that Coury owns in Schneider's district, contributed $1,000 to Schneider's 1994 Assembly race.

Coury also owns Thirstbusters, a bar and casino in Henderson.

Coury is appealing to the Nevada Supreme Court a ruling that says he can't place more than 40 slot machines in Thirstbusters. Coury agreed to the 40-machine limit in 1992 when the City Council let him expand beyond 15 machines.

Since then, other operations, including Barley's, owned in part by the publishers of the Las Vegas SUN, and Renata's, have been granted 199 slot machines, Coury said.

Coury said the City Council decides which project it likes based on "back-room deals."

"What's a back-room deal?" he said when asked to be specific. "Whether it's a Super Bowl ticket, or a ride on a jet or money, it needs to be investigated."

Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, a Democrat who represents parts of Henderson, said law enforcement agencies have investigated those allegations.

"They've investigated this to death, and they've never found any evidence of corruption," Titus said. "There's a lot you could do short of a letter to the FBI. That becomes a publicity stunt for Ron Coury."

Schneider should have spoken with lawmakers from Henderson before mailing the letter, Titus said.

"He didn't come to any of us," she said. "It might have been a good idea to get the whole story rather than just Ron Coury's story."

Assemblywoman Sandra Tiffany, R-Henderson, was more blunt.

"He shouldn't be meddling in Henderson politics," she said.

Schneider owns Southwest Investment and Realty, a real estate and development company that builds homes and small commercial buildings. He said he has never built in Henderson or gone before the City Council for a permit.

Schneider said some of his information about alleged corruption came from a KLAS Channel 8 broadcast. The station later issued a letter to Henderson City Manager Phil Speight, saying it "regrets" errors in the broadcast.

Perkins said Schneider's complaints are "old news."

"It sounds like the stuff on Channel 8 that was retracted," Perkins said.

Schneider said he didn't take the matter up with Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa because she is also a Democrat, and that could have created the perception of a conflict of interest.

Schneider