Del Papa rejects Tiffany probe

Wednesday, May 16, 2001 | 10:18 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa says her office doesn't have any authority to investigate or prosecute Henderson Assemblywoman Sandra Tiffany, who is under scrutiny for conduct in her initiative petition to split up the Clark County School District.

Del Papa turned the case over to Mineral County District Attorney Tom Wright.

The case had been first investigated by Secretary of State Dean Heller's office and then turned over to the attorney general's office for further action.

Chief Deputy Attorney General David Sarnowski said, "We have concluded that this office does not have jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute any of the crimes that arguably may have been committed.

"At this juncture, we have not reached any conclusion as to the substantive merits of the case and as the law requires, we presume any and all suspects are innocent until proven guilty."

Wright could not be reached for comment.

Tiffany, a Republican, circulated an initiative petition to split the Clark County School District. Heller's office ruled the petition did not have enough signatures in Mineral County. Tiffany and her staff then returned to Mineral County and gathered the names of additional voters.

But Heller's office suggested there may have been forgeries. Tiffany denied she had done anything wrong and welcomed an investigation.