Ethics Commission wants D.A. to look at case against activist

Friday, July 16, 1999 | 10:25 a.m.

Last month, the ethics panel fined activist Sam Dehne $5,000 for filing frivolous complaints against Reno Mayor Jeff Griffin.

At its July 7 meeting, the ethics commission ruled the case should now be forwarded to the district attorney for criminal review.

"He's got something against this man," Mario Recanzone, vice chairman of the commission, said Thursday. "Dehne goes on and on with statements (against Griffin). We have to do something to slow this person down."

Dehne was defeated in last year's Reno mayoral primary and says he's now running for the U.S. Senate.

He said the commission's action is an attempt to keep "honest citizens from fighting corruption" in local politics.

"They shouldn't be allowed to do this," he said. "Nobody told me when I filed complaints that I would run the risk of being prosecuted on misdemeanor charges."

Deputy Attorney General Rob Bony said the referral to the district attorney is routine after the commission imposes a fine.

"It's a perfunctory thing," he said.

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