Goodman says he’s making headway handling problems, image issue

Robert Macy

Thursday, July 22, 1999 | 2:20 a.m.

From image issues to transportation and air quality problems, former mob lawyer Oscar Goodman says he's getting a handle on his new role as mayor of one of America's fastest-growing cities.

In his weekly news conference Thursday, Goodman told of attending a reception in Washington, D.C. recently while in the nation's capital to meet with lobbyists and federal officials.

Goodman said some 15 senators and a like number of congressmen attended a reception sponsored by Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev. He called it "one of the most widely-attended receptions" on Capitol Hill.

"Anybody who was afraid I was going to hurt the image of Las Vegas can put that one aside," Goodman joked.

Goodman, who was elected last month in a landslide, was known as one of the nation's foremost criminal defense attorneys before he entered politics early this year.

"My image certainly didn't hurt the attendance," Goodman said.

Goodman said he also met with representatives of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

"Because of whatever celebrity I had, they want to get me involved," he said.

Among those at the July 15 reception was Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., a longtime friend.

Goodman spoke emotionally of his visit with Kennedy. He said the two talked of the senator's plans for the weekend wedding of his niece. The wedding was postponed when John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and her sister, Lauren Bessette, were killed in the crash of John Kennedy's plane near Martha's Vineyard, Mass.

While in Washington, Goodman said he met with officials to discuss block grants to revitalize downtown Las Vegas and with transportation officials regarding air quality issues. Goodman said he wanted to avoid a possible cutoff of federal highway funding, which has been threatened because of air pollution problems in the Las Vegas Valley.

Goodman said he's been working 14-hour days in his new role, learning about and seeking solutions to the city's problems.

"I was too busy making a living," he said. "I didn't realize what city hall could do for the public."