Political notebook: Court keeps Williams off ballot

Erin Neff

Friday, July 26, 2002 | 9:50 a.m.

The Nevada Supreme Court sustained a decision Thursday keeping Democrat Michael Williams off the ballot in the Clark County Commission E race.

The high court ruled that the challenge to Williams' candidacy was timely and procedurally sufficient and that Williams did not meet residency requirements when he filed to run against incumbent Democrat Myrna Williams.

The 5-1 decision with one abstention determined that since Michael Williams did not change his legal residence from his home in Henderson to an apartment in the Commission E district, he did not physically reside there.

The ruling was a boost to the incumbent who had sought to remove Williams from the primary election ballot. District Court Judge Michael Douglas ordered Michael Williams off the ballot after a hearing last month.

Michael Williams appealed the decision.

The Supremes' opinion could also offer a bit of advice to Assemblyman Morse Arberry, a Democrat representing West Las Vegas and portions of North Las Vegas.

Arberry has a home in West Las Vegas' Bonanza Village, but lists an apartment out of the district in Canyon Gate in the Lakes area of Las Vegas as his mailing address.

No one has ever challenged him on it, but that might change.

The high court said its reading of state law recognizes the Legislature's intent to require both physical presence and intent to remain at a residence.

"It also avoids absurd results: if candidates with more than one residence could simply choose from among them for purposes of actual residence, then they could declare as their primary residence a place where they spend relatively little time and have few community associations," the court wrote.

Absurd indeed.

Money the focus in DA race

Despite court backlogs, serious crime, death penalty reform and rising domestic violence cases, the race for the Republican nomination in the District Attorney's race is boiling down to sniping over campaign contributions.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Abbi Silver has been complaining that her GOP opponent, Chief Deputy District Attorney David Roger, had initially accepted money from several topless club owners or their associates.

According to the first contributions report filed in the race, Roger got $5,000 from Olympic Garden owner Pete Eliades, $5,000 from Cheetah's owner Mike Galardi and the $10,000 max from Ricbar, a company owned by Crazy Horse Too owner Rick Rizzolo.

Roger said he initially decided to accept contributions from all legal businesses. However, after the county commission began amending ordinances related to the topless club industry, Roger said the potential increased that the DA's office would be dragged into litigation over the ordinances.

"I returned the money from them because I didn't want to get into a conflict of interest," Roger said.

Silver said she's had a different problem -- unsolicited checks from Crazy Horse and from an owner of a large outcall service.

"I've made no attempt to solicit them," Silver said. "I've gotten checks before and I ask the host (of the fund-raiser) who gave me this and they don't know."

Several people who have attended fund-raisers and meet-and-greet activities related to the race say they have seen Silver soliciting contributions from some of the same people whose contributions Roger returned.

Business owners like Rizzolo, Eliades and Galardi frequently contribute to local judicial, county and city races.

But Silver sees the money in the DA's race to be a complete conflict. And, even though Roger returned the money, Silver now says her opponent is already conflicted because he allowed some of the donors to open doors for him and host events for him.

"You can't return the introductions," she said.

Leans right, throws mud at left

Congressional Quarterly reported on Democrat Dario Herrera's rocky ride in the press during his bid for Nevada's 3rd Congressional District this week -- and changed its ranking on the race from "No Clear Favorite" to "Leans Republican."

The article by Mary Clare Jalonick discusses the bad press related to Herrera's loss of key law enforcement endorsement, his housing authority PR contract and a controversial billboard ordinance vote Herrera cast as chairman of the Clark County Commission.

But there's more. Jalonick apparently went door-knocking with Herrera and discovered an elderly woman who threatened to call the police on him.

And an 80-year-old registered Democrat was excited to talk to Herrera, Jalonick reported, but his car's bumper sticker read: "We support the police."

Speaking of those police, two other law enforcement groups endorsed Herrera's GOP opponent, Jon Porter, this week. Porter picked up support from the Nevada Highway Patrol Association and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Managers and Supervisors Association.

Majority Leader Ann O'Connell for session?

When the special session of the Legislature convenes Monday, expect Southern Nevada Republicans to try to wrest a bit of control from Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio.

Sources say Raggio, R-Reno, is so disengaged on medical malpractice (since it isn't a factor up north) that he may be willing to let Sen. Ann O'Connell, R-Las Vegas, have a big voice in the proceedings.

When the Senate Republican Caucus met Thursday night up north, sources said, Raggio pledged support for whatever Gov. Kenny Guinn and Southern Nevada Republicans want on medical malpractice.

Some think this might foreshadow a power grab of the caucus during the 2003 session, which reportedly will be Raggio's last.

Environmentally friendly

Republican Congressman Jim Gibbons doesn't usually rate well with environmentalists, but a press release his office sent Thursday made still seemed odd.

"Gibbons Seeks to Protect Colorado River Pollution," the press release said.

Press secretary Amy Spanbauer quickly sent out a corrected version with an appropriately placed "from" to quiet talk of corporate polluters backed by the GOP.

For the record