McDonald foes push for recall; ethics panel hearing set

Erin Neff

Monday, Nov. 6, 2000 | 11:38 a.m.

Although all eyes are on the close presidential race, two local events this week will determine the fate of City Councilman Michael McDonald's political future.

On Tuesday, McDonald opponents will set up outside polling sites in Ward 1 urging residents to sign a petition to recall the second-term councilman.

While those efforts may lead to a recall election, McDonald faces an ethics hearing Wednesday that could also result in his removal from office.

The Las Vegas Ethics Review Board will hear testimony from a host of witnesses to determine whether McDonald violated any city ethics laws.

McDonald is accused of lobbying for the sale of Sportspark to help get his boss out of financial hock, and of working to scuttle the zoning of an adult club to help another friend who owns a rival strip club.

"I would expect a number of people to testify," said Frank Cremen, the attorney representing the ethics board.

Cremen declined to discuss who he would call as witnesses, but his case likely revolves around the findings of a Metro Police investigation.

Detectives determined they had enough evidence to arrest McDonald for misconduct by a public officer. District Attorney Stewart Bell declined to prosecute, saying police had not submitted enough evidence to win a conviction.

After Bell decided not to convene a grand jury, police released their findings for use by the ethics board.

Las Vegas resident Bob Rose filed complaints against McDonald to both the city and state ethics boards. The Nevada Ethics Commission has yet to set a hearing into the McDonald matter.

The local ethics board, comprised of five political appointees, has several options Wednesday. It can determine McDonald did nothing wrong and can dismiss the case, or it can rule the councilman's behavior did violate the law.

But that's where the board has an option. If the board determines McDonald violated the city's ethics law unintentionally, the councilman could escape with a warning and a fine.

The board could also recommend prosecution of McDonald through the city's Municipal Court. If the Municipal Court convicts McDonald of violating the ethics law, he would be guilty of a misdemeanor, and thus removed from office.

Meanwhile, several hundred residents have already signed a petition seeking to recall McDonald.

"We've got volunteers running out there to people right now who have asked to sign the petition," recall organizer Russ Driver said.

The recall petition is a two-fold step. The first petition asks voters whether they want to recall McDonald. A secondary petition asks whether they want to replace McDonald with Steve Miller, a former city councilman who has twice lost elections to McDonald.

"I'm calling it a groundswell," Miller said Friday. "I've been getting about one signee every 30 minutes for the past four days since we started circulating the petition."

McDonald has consistently declined comment on the ethics case and the recall effort.

His attorney, Richard Wright, has previously stated that his client has done nothing differently than the other council members.

Wright also said he believes Metro launched the investigation to get back at McDonald, a former cop who, as a councilman, has been critical of Sheriff Jerry Keller and has recommended breaking up Metro to form the city's own police force.

Wright was out of his office and could not be reached for comment.

Wednesday's hearing is open to the public. It begins at 9 a.m. in the eighth-floor conference room at City Hall.