Political notebook: Theories abound over burglary at Herrera home

Erin Neff

Friday, June 28, 2002 | 9:53 a.m.

With this month's marking of the 30th anniversary of Watergate, people nationwide began remembering Deep Throat and a third-rate burglary.

But it's more like a sixth-rate burglary that was reported Tuesday at congressional candidate Dario Herrera's house, complete with the loss of 150 neck ties.

As Herrera, a Democrat and chairman of the Clark County Commission, faces questions about his personal finances, his personal financial records are stolen.

Conspiracy theorists immediately began pondering the irony.

Why would Herrera's campaign tip reporters to the news? Why did it happen when Herrera was in Washington for a fund-raiser? And why did Metro Police initially want to redact the stolen items from the burglary report?

Herrera said he was not sure if the burglary was politically motivated. But his wife, Emily, told the police that's what she thinks.

Election challenges

If this week's two previous election challenges are any indication, Michael Williams today will become the third challenger kicked off the ballot.

Not a bad start for a new state law giving District Court judges the ability to remove someone from the ballot who doesn't qualify to run.

On Tuesday, the Nevada Supreme Court refused to immediately intervene in the Henderson Township constable's race on behalf of Independent American candidate Nicholas Hansen.

District Judge Sally Loehrer removed him from the ballot because he is ineligible from becoming a peace officer (a requirement of the job) until he turns 21 -- a date that will occur after the swearing-in day for the next constable.

Hansen will still appeal, but that likely won't be heard until after the general election.

Then there's the phantom David Parks, stripped from the Assembly District 41 ballot Thursday by Chief District Judge Mark Gibbons because he does not really live in Nevada.

Williams faces a similar challenge to his residency in his bid for the Democratic nomination in the Clark County Commission District G race.

Liberal letterhead use

State Sen. Maurice Washington isn't the only lawmaker who sends election mail out on state letterhead.

But another lawmaker caught in the act can probably justify at least one of her letters.

Assemblywoman Merle Berman, R-Las Vegas, sent a letter in May to constituents of Assembly District 2 on her official letterhead. Unlike Washington's letter, which asked for financial donations for his re-election bid, Berman simply informs the resident that the boundaries of her district have changed and that receiving the letter means she's your representative.

Sounds like constituent mail until in her last line when she mentions she would like to represent you in 2003 as well.

The letter she sent this month goes further, detailing what she believes are the most important issues facing the state, and asking for support in her re-election bid.

Berman doesn't say "financial" support, but the reference is as hard to ignore as the embossed state seal on the top of the letter.

Power pasta

Times change and onetime popular spots for power lunching are no more.

The California Pizza Kitchen in the Golden Nugget used to be downtown's answer to Spago, with city and county politicians and players gathering for the be-seen noontime fare.

The Coffee Pub still gets its share of the power coffee set each morning, but Clark County's movers and shakers are now popping up at Romano's Macaroni Grill on West Sahara Avenue.

By 11:30 on Thursday, the place was already filling with the likes of Southern Nevada Water Authority boss Pat Mulroy and two assemblymen of different parties (not eating together).

Since power pizza gave way to power pasta, where will the pols will go next, IHOP?