McDonald prevails again

Erin Neff

Thursday, March 22, 2001 | 11:38 a.m.

In politics, two years is a lifetime.

And as Commissioner Yvonne Atkinson Gates has proven at the county level, politicians can rebound from ethics charges to win re-election amid scant competition.

Whether Las Vegas City Councilman Michael McDonald can be re-elected in 2003 -- a race he's likely to enter -- is again left squarely in the hands of voters.

On Wednesday McDonald won his third straight victory of sorts when District Judge Jim Mahan dismissed a malfeasance charge against him. Previous ethics board findings were little more than slaps on the wrist.

However, the cumulative effect of three previous ethics hearings -- complete with four law violations -- and the publicity of a civil trial remains to be felt.

"He's got a long time," said political consultant Kent Oram, who said he believes McDonald is still electable. "I would give him a better shot in two years."

McDonald seems poised to run again. After the hearing, he hugged a Republican Party official and an elderly constituent -- both of whom came to court to support him.

"If the constituents want us, we'll run again," McDonald said. "We stayed on course, and the constituents stayed behind us.

"It's about the job, and it's time to get back to work," McDonald said.

Oram said voters often make their decisions based on "the selfish best interest." Then President Bill Clinton's popularity amid shocking personal digressions, proved to Oram the economy and voters' own security were more important.

"People will forget certain things if you're delivering others," Oram said.

McDonald does just that in Ward 1. On Wednesday he noted his continued support in his ward as he talked of five parks the city is building there.

"People are going to forget it in two years," Oram said. "If the potholes are fixed and stoplights go up, who is going to say anything to suggest they can do a better job?"

McDonald's biggest problem right now isn't the voters. It's his colleagues.

Getting back to work means facing City Manager Virginia Valentine, Mayor Oscar Goodman and Councilman Larry Brown -- all of whom have testified against him.

"If I've offended the mayor or Larry Brown or Virginia Valentine at all, I apologize," McDonald said.

McDonald's public feud with Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald, his criticism of Sheriff Jerry Keller and his quiet attempts to help candidates running against Councilmen Michael Mack and Lawrence Weekly could also work against him.

Councilman Gary Reese is essentially McDonald's only ally on the panel, although most board members publicly feign a good working relationship with him.

"It's like he's not even here," said one 10th floor staffer at City Hall, speaking on condition of anonymity. "The council does its own thing."

Richard Wright, McDonald's attorney, didn't make City Hall any more friendly to his client when he argued Wednesday that the charges against the councilman were brought by a vindictive and unprofessional city Ethics Review Board.

"It calls into question the integrity, motives of the complainant," Wright argued.

Earle White Jr., chairman of the city's Ethics Review Board, said he wasn't surprised with Wright's attack.

"Why not?" said White, a lawyer and former judge. "It's more fun than talking about the facts."

In McDonald's case, voters have a clear record of facts. The city Ethics Review Board found he violated city code twice last year related to Sportspark and the contested Sig Rogich tavern license.

The State Ethics Commission found McDonald guilty of violating two state ethics laws related to Sportspark but cleared him of any wrongdoing in the Rogich matter.

The commission also failed to find that McDonald's actions were willful -- a finding that must occur prior to any punishment. That motion failed when board members tied 3-3 on that vote.

McDonald was also cleared of any wrongdoing by the State Ethics Commission in an unrelated case involving a 1999 vote he took to grant Silver State Disposal Services and exclusive contract.

And he beat a recall effort last year when citizen organizers failed to get enough signatures to force a special election.

But McDonald also has fallen from power within City Hall, losing his largely ceremonial post as mayor pro tem and the one-time moniker, Shadow Mayor, he was dubbed with when he had the power to persuade a majority of the board to vote with him.

Goodman, who has had the most vocal criticism of McDonald since learning the councilman secretly taped a private conversation with him, said that schism remains.

"I can't forgive him," Goodman said.

But the mayor said that each council member has to "live with his own relationship they have him.

"The city will not suffer," he added.