Reno man says he won’t pay fine

Monday, July 19, 1999 | 11:40 a.m.

SUN CAPITAL BUREAU

RENO -- A political activist says he won't pay a $5,000 fine imposed by the state Ethics Commission against him for allegedly filing a frivolous complaint.

Sam Dehne told the Commission Friday its decision to fine him was "ridiculous and perverted," and later told a reporter he would not pay the penalty because it would be a partial admission that he committed a wrong.

Dehne joins others who have not paid the fines imposed by the commission for filing vexatious complaints. They include former Las Vegas City Councilman Steve Miller, who was fined $2,500 for his complaints against former Mayor Jan Laverty Jones.

Records at the commission show that Shari Compton, Steve Smith and Brooks Compton were all fined $5,000 but they are appealing their case. Shaughn Daily, who was involved in the same case, has paid his $2,500 fine. They were accused of bringing a frivolous complaint against then-Clark County Commissioner Paul Christensen.

Louis Overstreet, a retired civil engineer from Las Vegas, was recently fined $1,500 on grounds his complaint against Clark County School Trustee Susan Brager was unjustified. A commission spokeswoman said Overstreet has until the end of the month to pay but has indicated he will fight the fine.

Dehne said he brought a "perfectly valid complaint" against Reno Mayor Jeff Griffin alleging Griffin used his position to further his business at the Reno-Tahoe International Airport.

The Ethics Commission, he said, could have found the facts he presented were wrong and dismissed the complaint against the mayor. "You turned around and called me the liar," Dehne told the commission.