Police group backs both candidates in big race

Erin Neff

Monday, Aug. 5, 2002 | 10:52 a.m.

An endorsement Lynette Boggs McDonald received last week in her bid for Congress actually came more than a month after her Democratic opponent had received the same support.

And while there's nothing new about dual endorsements from an organization in a race, the Police Managers and Supervisors Association seems to be apologetic to the candidate who first won its endorsement.

U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley's campaign got a letter from PMSA on July 29 -- the same day the organization representing 400 Metro Police supervisors officially endorsed Berkley's Republican challenger.

The letter informs Berkley that PMSA's board of directors "was asked to reconsider" offering a dual endorsement. The letter also mentions the organization is currently negotiating a labor contract and is "at the mercy" of Metro's Fiscal Affairs Committee.

Boggs McDonald, a Las Vegas city councilwoman, serves on that committee.

Thomas Plehn, the director of PMSA's political activities, could not be reached for comment.

Boggs McDonald's campaign insists there is nothing questionable about her receipt of the endorsement July 29, five weeks after Berkley received hers.

"We have no reason to believe that it had anything other to do than with Lynette Boggs McDonald's attributes, which is what they said in their letter to our campaign," Jack Finn, Boggs McDonald's campaign manager, said.

When contacted by the Sun, Berkley's campaign manager, Peggy Egan, said Berkley has already received endorsements from 10 law enforcement associations based on the congresswoman's "strong advocacy in Washington for the issues that affect law enforcement."

In addition to PMSA, Berkley has been endorsed by the Nevada Conference of Police and Sheriffs and Las Vegas Police Protective Association.

Asked whether Berkley's campaign viewed as questionable Boggs McDonald's endorsement, Egan said only: "We were happy to received the PMSA endorsement a month and a half ago and we appreciate Mr. Plehn taking time to re-confirm their endorsement of Shelley as they told us their need to do the dual endorsement."

Finn said he saw no need in his campaign's press release announcing the endorsement to mention that the organization had already endorsed Berkley.

"We just wanted to get it out there," Finn said.