Columnist Jeff German: Sweeney leads charge for ‘Labor ‘98’ political campaign

Tuesday, Oct. 20, 1998 | 11:27 a.m.

THE top dog himself, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, was to deliver a pep talk today to dozens involved in labor's most ambitious political campaign ever in Nevada.

And the odds were excellent that the name of Las Vegas Sands Inc. Chairman Sheldon Adelson, labor's biggest and most dangerous political foe in the state, would be taken in vain.

Sweeney was scheduled to address a luncheon and rally at the Culinary Union Training Center, 707 E. Fremont St., designed to pump up the "Labor '98" campaign as it heads into the last two weeks of the general election.

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., who's locked in a bitter re-election battle with Rep. John Ensign, R-Nev., was among those expected to join Sweeney.

Labor '98, a massive get-out-the-vote drive, was designed primarily to boost Reid's tough re-election bid. Volunteers already have visited more than 40,000 AFL-CIO households in Nevada urging voters to support Reid and the rest of the labor-backed candidates on Nov. 3.

It's clear from a copy of the door-to-door pitch that Adelson weighs heavy on the minds of labor leaders.

"Have you heard of Sheldon Adelson?" the rap says. "He's the billionaire owner of the Venetian casino who wants to break our unions and drive down our standard of living.

"He's trying to do that by electing his own hand-picked candidates."

Adelson recently launched a $1 million television ad blitz against two incumbent county commissioners whom he believes haven't been fair to him during the licensing process for his $2 billion Venetian megaresort.

The blistering attack ads have rocked the unions and those in the political establishment who have backed Commissioners Myrna Williams and Erin Kenny.

Union officials are forming a coalition with local civic leaders (Citizens for Common Decency) in an attempt to raise money to combat Adelson's offensive.

So the fight may be just beginning.

At least one well-known Republican, Chuck Muth of the Nevada Republican Liberty Caucus, is happy that Adelson is shaking things up.

In his daily newsletter, Muth, one of Adelson's political benefactors, says Adelson is giving the unions a "taste of their own medicine.

"If Mr. Adelson ever assembles an organization of true, competent political professionals," Muth writes, "the unions in this town will find themselves fighting on a level playing field for the first time in a long time."

Don't expect Sweeney to agree with that opinion.

Who has time for hard feelings?

There certainly aren't any between Billy Walters and the politico he bested last month in the high-powered bidding war to develop a Strip golf course across from the airport.

Walters has hired the crisis management firm of onetime rival, Sig Rogich, to help him battle his criminal indictment in the court of public opinion.

The indictment charges Walters with conspiracy and money laundering stemming from his worldwide sports betting operation.

He alleges that he's the victim of a law enforcement vendetta on the part of the attorney general's office.

For those in the know, it's not a total surprise to see Walters turning to Rogich in a pinch.

Late in the selection process for the golf course, Walters and Rogich attempted to join forces until Circus Circus Enterprises, which owns the property next to the project, shot down their plans.

Still, there's more irony here.

Rogich likely will be called upon to reassure the three Clark County commissioners who voted to give Walters the golf course lease that they remain on solid ground even though their man now faces criminal charges.

Already there are indications that Rogich has been putting out an effective spin.

Word is being bandied about that the attorney general's office was the only law enforcement agency willing to prosecute Walters. The U.S. attorney reportedly took a pass, and the DA disqualified himself.