Adelson remains wild card in county fundraising efforts

Wednesday, Oct. 28, 1998 | 11:54 a.m.

In their bids for re-election, Clark County commissioners Myrna Williams and Erin Kenny continued to raise and spend more campaign money than their foes but not nearly enough to offset the war waged by gaming executive Sheldon Adelson.

Democrat Williams, running in District E, raised $189,486 from Aug. 20 through Oct. 20, for a total of $573,061 for her campaign. Her Republican opponent, Mark Smith, raised $176,836 over the past two months for a total of $278,111.

Kenny, the District F Democrat, raised $338,069 from mid-August through mid-October for a total of $995,177. Republican foe Steve Harney raised $227,650 over the past two months for a total of $325,752.

Adelson, however, has been the wild card heading into the Nov. 3 general election. The Las Vegas Sands chairman, upset by what he perceives as unfair treatment by county commissioners during the permitting process for his $1.8 billion Venetian resort, has backed efforts to oust Williams and Kenny.

The Committee for Fairness, which he backs, has spent about $2 million on media advertising accusing Williams and Kenny of overspending and committing back-room deals. The ad campaign also blasts fellow Democrat Dario Herrera, running in District G.

In campaign reports due Tuesday, Williams disclosed that she spent $336,569 over the past two months and a total of $497,629 for her campaign. Smith spent $205,897 over the past two months and $228,835 total.

Kenny spent $466,696 over the past two months and $961,131 total. Harney spent $221,545 from mid-August to mid-October and $294,405 total.

Among Williams' most recent contributions were $25,000 from companies affiliated with Sahara hotel-casino owner William Bennett, and $10,000 from both the Golden Nugget and Callister & Reynolds law firm. The law firm includes Matthew Callister, who served with Williams in the Nevada Legislature.

More than half of Smith's recent contributions, $120,000 to be exact, came from companies affiliated with Adelson.

Kenny's biggest recent contributions included $25,000 from Sahara's Bennett and affiliated companies, $20,000 from MGM Grand hotel-casino and affiliated companies, and $10,000 each from Boyd Gaming Corp., Mirage Resorts, and the Orleans hotel-casino.

Like Smith, the vast majority of Harney's recent contributions, $190,000, came from companies affiliated with Adelson.

The latest reports for Herrera and Milt Doyle, his Republican opponent in District G, weren't received by the Clark County Election Department as of 5 p.m. Tuesday. The reports may be mailed but they must have been postmarked by Tuesday in order for candidates to avoid potential fines.