Political notebook: Doctors lose points with lawmakers as trauma unit closes

Erin Neff

Friday, July 5, 2002 | 8:46 a.m.

When University Medical Center's trauma unit closed its entrance Wednesday morning, some believe doctors also shut the door on their political chances.

Lawmakers of both parties privately expressed dismay at the decision, saying the orthopedic surgeons did not have to resign and force the center to close.

But now that a special session is looming, many legislators think they will have an opportunity to present "facts" that expose what they consider to be a series of bad-faith negotiations by doctors.

Trial attorney Dean Hardy is fueling some of that fire, telling lawmakers that nothing changed for those surgeons in state law that would increase their liability.

In the history of UMC, Hardy said, only one surgeon was ever sued. And, he adds, if doctors were really concerned about liability, they would have agreed to come under the county-offered $50,000 cap.

Doctors have consistently said they were not sure that cap could withstand a legal challenge.

But doctors aren't helping their case by rejecting all offers from the hospital and county commissioners. And as one lawmaker showed by playing a phone message left by a doctor, their threats are beginning to fall on deaf ears.

"You'd better hope you never need emergency or trauma care," the message said.

"What a caring doctor," the lawmaker responded.

With the strong-armed tactics already meeting resistance, doctors aren't winning any other points with their call for a special session that will limit fund-raising during an election year.

Then again there are probably still a few weeks for Democrats to soak up donations from trial attorneys and for Republicans to get money from the doctors.

House campaign

Lynette Boggs McDonald's congressional campaign is continuing in a new direction with the addition of a former staffer for Gov. Kenny Guinn.

Jack Finn, Guinn's former spokesman, is serving as Boggs McDonald's campaign manager. Boggs McDonald, a Republican Las Vegas councilwoman, fired her old campaign manager, Tim Mooney, earlier this year.

In addition to hiring Finn, Boggs McDonald's campaign office is moving into Guinn's re-election offices in a cost-saving measure.

And the campaign picked up some good news with an endorsement from the National Federation of Independent Business.

The group cited Boggs McDonald's background as a small business owner in its endorsement letter.

Boggs McDonald is vying for Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley's 1st Congressional District seat.

Lee endorsed

Democrat John Lee got a boost in his bid to unseat state Controller Kathy Augustine this week when his campaign won the backing of the Nevada Conference of Police and Sheriffs and the State Peace Officers Council.

Lee, an assemblyman representing Las Vegas, added those endorsement to other law enforcement support. He had previously been endorsed by the Las Vegas Police Protective Association and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Managers and Supervisors Association.

He also has endorsements from the Service Employees International Local 1107 and the Southern Nevada Labor Council.

Campaign prescription

It's a good thing Dario Herrera's campaign computers weren't taken in the burglary at his home.

That's because starting on June 28, his campaign has e-mailed Herrera's comments in a sort of daily bash-the-House-GOP briefing.

On June 28, Herrera said Nevada seniors would be left behind by the House GOP's "pretend prescription drug plan." On July 1, Herrera criticized the Republicans' plan to raise the federal debt ceiling.

And on July 2 there was a slap at the Bush administration thanks to the Environmental Protection Agency's announcement that would halt cleanup at 33 designated Superfund sites.

Thank goodness he took a small break for the Fourth.

For the record

Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, will speak to the Women's Democratic Club of Clark County on July 11 at 11:30 a.m. at Lawry's The Prime Rib. Call 615-4522 for details.