Ensign files details of $1.1 million contribution report

Brendan Riley

Tuesday, July 20, 1999 | 6:26 a.m.

CARSON CITY - Casino interests have kicked in nearly a quarter of the $1.1 million that Republican John Ensign has raised so far in his bid to win a U.S. Senate seat - something he narrowly lost last year.

An analysis of a report filed Tuesday by Ensign also shows that contributors with ties to casino interests owned or controlled by his family accounted for half the cash from the clubs.

The contributions from casino political action committees and from individual resort executives and employees was just under $250,000, or 23 percent of the $1.1 million raised.

Of that, just over $121,000 came from Ensign's father, Mike Ensign, a top executive in Circus Circus, and from other family members or executives at various entities linked to Circus Circus.

That includes contributions from individuals at the Excalibur, Luxor, Mandalay Bay, Edgewater, Gold Strike and other properties that are under the Circus Circus corporate umbrella.

The $1.1 million total is more than four times the amount that Democratic Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa has received so far in her bid for the Senate seat that incumbent Richard Bryan, D-Nev., is vacating.

Other highlights from the Ensign contribution report include:

-Healthy gifts from the Boyd Gaming Group and from members of the Fertitta family, with extensive business and casino interests.

-Big contributions from executives who are part of Steve Wynn's Mirage Resorts casino empire. Wynn hosted one recent fund-raiser at his Bellagio, which raised at least $30,000.

-A $2,000 contribution from mob lawyer-turned Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman and his wife Carolyn.

-A $2,000 contribution from GOP Gov. Kenny Guinn and Nevada's first lady, Dema Guinn.

-A $2,000 contribution from Tom Isola, a former executive in Silver State Disposal of Las Vegas who pleaded guilty last year to a conspiracy charge in the company's tax evasion scheme.

-Money from two former GOP governors from Nevada. Paul Laxalt, who also became a U.S. senator, gave $1,000; and Bob List gave $2,000. State Republican Chairman John Mason gave $500, and state Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio and Sen. Randolph Townsend, both of Reno gave $1,000 apiece.

-Major Nevada builders, gave large sums to Ensign, including members of the Carrao and Tiberti families.

-GOP-related political action committees gave big sums, including $10,000 from the New Republican Majority Fund, $9,000 from the Republican Majority Fund, and about $1,000 from the Conservative Victory Fund.

While Ensign is hoping his big contributions will make him look invincible going into the 2000 elections, Del Papa says she's not discouraged.

Del Papa folded her candidacy for governor in 1997 when, after eight months of effort, she had raised just $250,000 and Guinn, who started in 1996, had raised $2 million.

Both Ensign and Del Papa say it will cost as much as $5 million to win. Ensign plans to raise more than $4 million and Del Papa is shooting for between $3.5 million and $5 million.