Political briefs for May 20, 2002

Monday, May 20, 2002 | 9:19 a.m.

Chairez files for Supreme Court

After being told the only offices he could run for are judicial ones, Las Vegas attorney Don Chairez filed Friday for the highest court bench in the state.

Chairez, a Republican and former District Court judge, is seeking Nevada Supreme Court Chief Justice Bill Maupin's seat B.

Chairez was elected to a six-year term on the District Court in 1996, but resigned his post to run for Congress in 1998 -- a race he lost to Democrat Shelley Berkley.

He had wanted to run for district attorney after learning Stewart Bell would not seek another term, but was told by a lawyer with the secretary of state's office that he was not eligible for any seat other than a judicial one because he did not complete his six-year term.

Libertarian will challenge Gibbons

Brendan Trainor, a Libertarian Party candidate who is challenging incumbent Rep. Jim Gibbons in the 2nd Congressional District, says the issue of Yucca Mountain can't be decided until it is determined who owns the land.

Trainor, who turns 54 next month, said he believes the state owns the property and has the right to make the decision whether it wants a high level nuclear dump there.

Trainor, who filed his declaration of candidacy Friday, has run unsuccessfully in the past for state treasurer, county commissioner of Washoe County and state Assembly. He is a reservation supervisor for an airline.

Trainor also criticized the federal war on drugs, saying the issue should be left up to the states.

Trainor opposes the "full scale war" in Afghanistan. He said this country, as permitted by the Constitution, should have taken "reprisal" steps against those responsible for the attacks of Sept. 11.

The United States, he said, "should be a become a beacon for liberty, not a policeman for the world."

Lt. governor candidate files

Bill Montgomery, a Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, says he wants to require all employers with more than 50 workers to pay a minimum wage of $8 an hour.

"I don't think the casinos will like me over that," he said. However he added that Southern Nevada resorts already pay that or more, and the impact would be felt in Northern Nevada.

It would apply to all businesses, but it would not hit the "Mom and Pop" stores, he said.