Miller: Recall effort goes on

Erin Neff

Monday, Nov. 27, 2000 | 11:36 a.m.

The ballot-counting may be over in Florida, but an effort to recall City Councilman Michael McDonald continues its laborious count.

Recall organizers, led by former councilman Steve Miller, held a press conference late this morning to try to draw attention to the remaining two weeks of the petition drive.

"We know how many we have and how many we need," Miller said this morning. "This sounds like Florida."

Miller said petitioners have collected 2,428 signatures out of the 2,995 required to force a recall election in Ward 1. But a second petition to nominate Miller to the council seat in the event McDonald is recalled lags well behind the necessary signatures.

"My goal all along was to remove him from office," Miller said, shrugging off questions about his nominating petition.

State Assemblywoman Merle Berman, who recently won re-election, is also circulating a nominating petition seeking to be placed on the special election ballot as a replacement to McDonald.

Grassroots petitioners are now setting up outside grocery stores, going door to door and calling registered voters in the ward encouraging them to go recall headquarters at Valley View and Oakey boulevards to sign the petition.

The petitioners have until Dec. 12 to submit 2,995 signatures. At that point, McDonald will likely challenge the validity of signatures in District Court.

Miller said he is prepared for that possibility and is trying to collect a cushion of names to keep the recall election viable.

"We still have two weeks to go, and we'll use that last weekend to get the push we need," Miller said.

If the recall drive is successful, a special election in February would ask whether Ward 1 voters want to recall McDonald. If other candidates are successful with petitions, separate questions would ask whether voters want those candidates to take McDonald's place if he is recalled.

Even if the recall drive is successful, McDonald's chances of retaining his seat are good, thanks to support of constituents.

Ward 1 is made up largely of older neighborhoods where McDonald has done simple but effective things to reduce traffic, reduce graffiti and create parks. His support for seniors, especially those living in public housing, could also translate into votes to retain him.

But McDonald's troubles aren't limited to the recall effort. Despite being granted a continuance by the Nevada Ethics Commission, McDonald still must face charges that he violated state conflict of interest laws.

The Las Vegas Ethics Review Board already has determined that McDonald broke the city's laws twice by lobbying to sell the Las Vegas Sportspark to the city and by trying to kill a tavern license request.

In both cases, McDonald had publicly abstained from the item in question, but the ethics board determined he was working feverishly behind the scenes to either make or break the deal.

The Nevada Ethics Commission will meet Feb. 15 and 16 in Las Vegas on the same complaint.

Meanwhile, special counsel Frank Cremen is determining whether to proceed with a criminal complaint against McDonald in Las Vegas Municipal Court. Cremen, who represented the city ethics board, is deciding whether the board's findings are enough to sustain a conviction on a misdemeanor charge.

If convicted, McDonald would immediately be removed from office. The state ethics board can also initiate impeachment proceedings.