State begins to invetigate appeal in Brown recall try

Adrienne Packer

Friday, June 26, 1998 | 11:19 a.m.

The Nevada Secretary of State's office on Thursday began looking into an appeal filed shortly after an effort to recall North Las Vegas City Councilwoman Paula Brown failed.

"We need to talk to the registrars and talk to petitioners and witnesses to find out what's behind the appeal," Don Reis, deputy secretary of state, said Thursday.

The appeal was filed in May by the group "Citizens for Higher Ethics in Government." The state took a random sampling of 500 names on a petition and determined 313 signatures were valid.

The group needed 318 verified signatures to force a recall election.

Glen Easter, who heads the citizens group, said the people whose names didn't match the state's master list signed an affidavit confirming they want Brown out of office.

Reis said he is uncertain how long the appeal process will last because of the number of people who have to be contacted.

"It's going to involve witnesses and with it being summer, a lot of people are on vacation," Reis said. "We need to look at when it's convenient for them, so it's hard to say how long it will take."

The recall effort was launched a year ago after North Las Vegas police searched Brown's husband's business, Lab-Kem Supplies. Investigators suspected that James Brown was selling chemicals that were later used to manufacture methamphetamine.

Drug charges were dropped against James Brown and Paula Brown was never charged with a crime.