Recall group hits back at allegations by Gates

Adrienne Packer

Friday, Aug. 21, 1998 | 1:28 a.m.

Leaders of an organization trying to oust Clark County Commissioner Yvonne Atkinson Gates question the timing of her recent allegations that the recall group committed fraud during its petition drive.

Atkinson Gates sent out mailers to residents who signed the petition circulated in May by Citizens for Honest and Responsible Government (CHARGE). She received 280 responses and discovered most of the people didn't live at the addresses listed on the petition.

She said some of the addresses were vacant lots. Two of the signatures were those of dead people.

"That was a big shock and surprise," Atkinson Gates said today. "I thought it was worthy of us to notify the proper authorities."

The signatures in question were forwarded to the Assistant District Attorney Mary Ann Miller, who handles cases for the commissioner. Miller could not be reached for comment on what the penalty is for fraud.

Members of CHARGE learned of Atkinson Gates' claims late Thursday. The group's chairman, Charles Bennion, said the commissioner's timing is suspect because the organization is fast approaching its Sept. 4 deadline for its latest recall petition.

"It detracts our attention from the matter at hand," Bennion said. "It helps her because we have to turn away from our effort to address the attacks."

CHARGE submitted 7,474 signatures to the Elections Department last spring in an effort to recall Atkinson Gates, who in July was found to be in violation of several ethics laws.

About 4,000 signatures were deemed invalid by the Secretary of State's office. The group, which is confident there are plenty of residents in Atkinson Gates' district who want the commissioner out of office, is giving its recall effort another shot.

CHARGE members said they had their own people collect signatures this time and blamed the company they hired last spring -- National Voter Outreach -- for their failed attempt.

"We had a lot of problems last time, I admit that," said CHARGE co-chair Janet Broderick. "We got a lot of reports that things went wrong. It was chaotic."

Bennion said there is no reason for Atkinson Gates to question any of the signatures because they were all scrutinized during a thorough validation process conducted by Secretary of State Dean Heller.

In explaining why addresses of vacant lots appeared on the petition, he said perhaps some residents had moved since signing the petition and their homes razed.

He adamantly denied that signatures of deceased people were forged.

"They would have to guess what their signatures look like," Bennion said. "We don't have records of dead people. That's not our strategy."

Broderick said that after the group submits its petition in September, it will look into the methods that National Voter Outreach used to collect signatures. She said she couldn't be sure that dead people's signatures were not used.

"That would be terrible if it really did happen," she said. "We're going to investigate what went on the first time. We've been hearing stories about things that were absolutely inappropriate."

Bennion claimed that Atkinson Gates has pulled a few tricks during the recall effort. He said her representatives have gone door-to-door telling people the commissioner is up for re-election this year and another recall simply would be a waste of money.

"I can tell you personally that that happened because they came to my door," he said.

Bennion said he also has received phone calls from residents who opened their front doors to discover pro-Atkinson Gates signs planted in their lawns.

Atkinson Gates said she sent out mailers to residents in her district explaining that she is running for re-election in 2000. She receive 800 responses from people who agreed to support her. Phone calls were placed to those people asking their permission to erect signs in their yards.

She said the sample ballots have already been mailed, and it would be foolish for her supporters to tell people she is running for re-election this year.

"Why would I or anyone who supports me tell a lie when it's so easy to prove it's not true?" she said. "I'm must doing what I'm supposed to do -- minding my own business and protecting the people in my district. That's my job. I'm not the one on a witchhunt."