Ward 2 race is muddied further

Diana Sahagun

Wednesday, March 21, 2001 | 11 a.m.

The campaign run for the Ward 2 seat currently held by Las Vegas City Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald has in recent weeks become a race to see who can lodge the most ethics complaints.

In the last two weeks, three ethics complaints have been filed against Boggs McDonald -- including one against her husband, who is a state employee. Her opponent, Mark Solomon, has admitted that those who filed the complaints are tied to his campaign or are acquaintances.

In retaliation, Boggs McDonald released information to the media this week claiming Solomon had taken 15 free rounds of golf as the guest of Peccole Nevada Corp. from 1997 to 2000 while he served on the Las Vegas Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Adjustment.

Solomon did not disclose the rounds, valued at $3,602, during the time he served on the planning boards. But he said Tuesday that he would submit an amended disclosure form to the City Clerk immediately.

Boggs McDonald is blaming the origin of what has become a race heavy on mudslinging and light on the issues on fellow councilman Michael McDonald.

The councilwoman is accusing McDonald and his chief liaison, Rick Henry, of leaking information to the media about a trip she took to Notre Dame in 1999, which was paid for by Station Casinos.

Boggs McDonald disclosed the $2,256.22 trip as a campaign contribution in her 1999 disclosure forms. The disclosure form lists the total but does not include any information about the trip.

McDonald and Henry also attended, but traveled on their own.

A picture of a smiling McDonald, Henry, Boggs McDonald and Station executives at a Notre Dame football game was included in media reports.

Boggs McDonald said the picture could have only been provided by McDonald.

Three days after news story ran about the trip, resident Tim Lafferty filed an extensive ethics complaint to the city's ethics commission accusing the councilwoman of violating ethics laws by disclosing the $2,256 trip as a campaign contribution.

The documents in the ethics complaint included a newspaper article and minutes from agenda items dated Aug. 16, 2000, Sept. 20, 2000, and Feb. 16, 2000 in which the council voted on items relating to Station Casinos.

"Whoever put those documents together had to know what they were looking for," Boggs McDonald said. "The record request came with a specificity that could have only come from someone providing (Lafferty) with that knowledge."

After the complaint was filed, two more similar complaints were filed against Boggs McDonald with the Secretary of State Election Division and the state's ethics commission.

Boggs McDonald said ever since she supported appointing former Planning Commissioner Michael Mack to the newly formed Ward 6 seat a year ago, McDonald has promised to punish her.

McDonald wanted to put Orlando Sanchez in the Ward 6 seat.

The councilwoman's swing vote supported McDonald's pick for Ward 5, Lawrence Weekly, but not his candidate for Ward 6.

Boggs McDonald said after the City Council meeting, McDonald came into her office and said the difference between him and God is that God forgives and he (McDonald) never forgives. He also told another member of the council and several staff that he pledged my eternal damnation," she said.

"My experience from that time forward with McDonald has been just this malicious intent as it relates to me. It's driven by revenge, driven by payback," she said. "Michael McDonald and Rick Henry will do anything and everything to try to hurt me because of the one vote."

Neither McDonald nor Henry could be reached for comment. McDonald has spent Tuesday and today before District Court Judge James Mahan on a charge of abusing his office. If he is found guilty, under a statute that has never successfully been used, McDonald could be removed from office.

Boggs McDonald said she provided the information about Solomon's golf trips to show he is hypocritical in attacking her for the Notre Dame trip, which she disclosed.

"I think that before you start throwing stones at someone you need to have your own house in order," she said.

Solomon said he was invited to play at the Badlands Golf Course by Peccole Nevada Corp. executives. But he did not think the golf games were more than $100.

Nevada law requires elected and appointed officials to disclose if they have received gifts valued at $100 or more.

Solomon said he could not remember if he abstained each time items involving Peccole Nevada Corp. were before the commission.

When pressed for issues that affect the residents in Ward 2, Solomon Tuesday reiterated his belief that Boggs McDonald is a "career bureaucrat" and that she gave a non-committal response during a neighborhood meeting when residents asked for flashing lights to be installed near a school.

"It's things like that, that I'm taking issue with her," Solomon said. "It's unfortunate that it has become somewhat of a personal attack. I don't think I am personally attacking her."

Solomon said he will continue to send out his message that "he is independent" and focus on transportation issues in the ward.

Boggs McDonald considers Solomon's attacks nothing more than a minor distraction that has not altered her campaign strategy. She will continue to walk the precincts, raise funds, make phone calls, and promote early voting.

When she walks door to door, she talks with residents about public safety, code enforcement and traffic issues.

"I don't know what Mark Solomon stands for. I know he's against me, but I don't know what he would do if given the opportunity to serve. I have been working hard, and I believe that I have accomplished many great things for the ward in the 20 months I have had a chance to lead it," she said.