Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

DA candidates in money duel

The two Republicans running for Clark County district attorney have spent more than $600,000 to win next Tuesday's primary, leaving little money left for the winner to take to the general election.

Chief Deputy District Attorneys David Roger, with $401,000, and Abbi Silver, $312,000, have raised the funds largely to battle each other, according to campaign contribution and expense reports filed Tuesday.

Roger has spent $334,783, slightly more than Silver's $296,452, but his larger purse leaves him with $66,677 if he makes it the general. If Silver wins the primary, she will start the eight-week dash to Nov. 5 with just $15,505.

Democrat Mike Davidson, the assistant district attorney to current DA Stu Bell, who is seeking a District Court seat, raised $125,193 for the race during the current reporting period. However, he also spent more than that this period, leaving him with a $21,936 deficit for the current period.

Davidson had $86,000 left over after the fund-raising in 2001 for the race. He faces a token primary challenge from Dawn Allysa Hooker, an attorney who has not been running an active campaign.

The focus in the Republican primary turned to campaign contributions when Silver accused Roger of conflicted interests by accepting donations from the owners of strip clubs, an industry which the DA's office may be called upon to prosecute.

Roger returned $45,000 in donations on May 10 after Silver's comments.

The expense report lists refunds of $6,000 to Olympic Garden owner Pete Eliades; $10,000 to Cheetah's owner Mike Galardi; $5,000 to Master's Gentleman's Cabaret; $1,000 to Thomas Hannon; $5,000 to Denise Lush-Rapuano; $10,000 to Crazy Horse Too owner Rick Rizzolo's company Ricbar and $8,000 to Rizzolo's relatives father, brother and sister, Annette Patterson.

Roger said he initially accepted the donations because topless clubs are licensed and legitimate businesses. And, he said, as district attorney, he would be as tough on those businesses as he would any other. He said he decided to return the money after he learned the county was pursuing a lapdance ordinance that could land the DA's client, Clark County, in court.

Silver maintained the contributions posed a conflict of interest, and later denied reports that she herself had solicited funds from topless club owners. Rizzolo even wrote a letter to the television show "Face to Face with Jon Ralston," alleging Silver was lying.

Silver reports no contributions from any topless club connections.

Her report does list $12,600 in six separate donations from Desert Inn Medical Center from Nov. 5, 2001, to July 23, 2002, and shows Silver refunding $2,600 of the donations on July 31.

State law permits donations from an individual or business entity of no more than $5,000 for the primary and $5,000 for the general election for a $10,000 cap.

Advertising and consultants ate most of Silver's money, with FFE Associates getting $199,633 for advertising and Steve Forsythe getting paid $61,159 for consulting and polling.

Roger paid consultant Amy Ayoub and Associates $36,778 and Brown & Partners advertising firm $219,562, mostly for television ads.

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