Complaint accuses McDonald of violating city’s ethics law

Erin Neff

Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2000 | 11:35 a.m.

Las Vegas City Councilman Michael McDonald faces possible removal from office if the city's Ethics Review Board determines a complaint filed Tuesday shows he violated provisions of the city's ethics law.

Retiree Robert Rose filed his complaint with the city early Tuesday to ask whether McDonald tried to broker the sale of the financially troubled Las Vegas Sportspark on behalf of his boss.

Rose's complaint also asks the review board to decide whether McDonald helped a controversial church open on the eve of a City Council vote to grant political consultant Sig Rogich a tavern license for his old building.

The church, which was never publicly discussed by the council, later scuttled attempts by the building's new owners to get an adult nightclub license because it was just 219 feet away.

Annette Marie Patterson, the sister of Crazy Horse Too owner Rick Rizzolo, opened the Church for Universal Life Enhancement and later moved her tiny congregation when newspaper articles highlighted the possible meddling by a competing strip club.

Rizzolo is also a friend of McDonald and the rumored investor to buy Sportspark. McDonald's boss at Las Vegas Color Graphics, Larry Scheffler, and Scheffler's business partner, Linda Fernandez, are two of the three investors in Sportspark.

Both the Sportspark and church issues are under investigation by Metro Police and have helped spark an FBI probe into McDonald on his relationship to Rizzolo, sources tell the Sun.

Rose has already filed a similar complaint with the Nevada Ethics Commission. He decided to ask the city's Ethics Review Board -- a group of political appointees -- to examine the matter because it has the power to remove an official from office.

That board is expected to set a preliminary meeting on the matter in a few days to determine whether enough evidence exists for a full hearing.

McDonald could not be reached this morning for comment.