Lipman Brown presents generic prayer

Larry Henry

Wednesday, May 14, 1997 | 11:37 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- A scriptwrit-er with an eye for irony couldn't have chosen a more timely guest to deliver the Senate prayer than Lori Lipman Brown.

Lipman Brown's remarks Tuesday came at a time when the Legislature is embroiled in two controversial issues of particular concern to her: campaign mudslinging and legislative prayer.

Lipman Brown, a former Democratic state senator, is suing Sen. Kathy Augustine, R-Las Vegas, and three others over campaign attacks in 1994.

In television ads and campaign mailers, Augustine criticized Lipman Brown, who is Jewish, for leaving the Senate chamber during the closing days of the 1993 session while Christian ministers were delivering the morning prayer.

Lipman Brown said she had complained about denominational prayers and was offended when it didn't stop.

Augustine defeated Lipman Brown by about 10 percent of the vote.

Also named in the suit are Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, Sen. Ray Rawson, R-Las Vegas, and former Sen. Sue Lowden, R-Las Vegas. Their names were on a letter verifying that Lipman Brown sometimes skipped the prayer and Pledge of Allegiance.

This session, the American Civil Liberties Union has taken issue with the use of the words Jesus and Jesus Christ during legislative prayers. Raggio and Assembly Speaker Joe Dini, D-Yerington, say the invocation should be nondenominational but that religious speakers won't be censored.

Raggio approved Lipman Brown's request to deliver an invocation during Old Timers' Day Tuesday at the Legislature. Her brief statement resembled pop inspiration more than prayer. She made no reference to religion.

"Because Earth is so small, we do not pollute," she said at one point. "Because the universe, life, time and space are beyond the grasp of our minds, we feel awe."

A Christian minister who followed Lipman Brown mentioned only "God."

The Senate has also wrangled over a bill that would allow the state Ethics Commission to impose a $30,000 fine on candidates who lie about their opponents. The bill was headed for a floor vote today.

Rawson said complaints like Lipman Brown's should be addressed by the Ethics Commission rather than a judge.

"There's no question in my mind that the Ethics Commission can deal with it," he said.

Rawson said Lipman Brown's suit has already cost him $30,000 in legal fees. Of that, $1,000 has come from his campaign account. Rawson said he's seeking an opinion on whether he can continue using campaign funds.

Augustine said she has spent $20,000, but she would not say whether any of that came from her campaign account.

When Lipman Brown was asked if judges have better things to do than settle political disputes, she said, "I want them to apologize."

Augustine and Raggio said they won't to that.

"We don't have anything to apologize for," Augustine said. "She left the Senate chambers."

Raggio said, "I'm not going to apologize for speaking the truth."

The dispute is set to go before Washoe District Judge Brent Adams on May 31. Adams, former head of the Nevada Democratic Party, has been chosen as mediator in hopes the issue can be resolved without a trial.

Lipman Brown was in Carson City Tuesday with about 50 other ex-legislators. Former Sens. Edward Boyle, Coe Swobe and Keith Ashworth were inducted into the Senate Hall of Fame. Gov. Bob Miller spoke from the Senate floor in praise of Ashworth. Raggio said Miller was the first governor in memory given floor privileges.