Heller, AG meet on Hunt complaint

Thursday, Oct. 3, 2002 | 9:51 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Secretary of State Dean Heller planned to meet with the attorney general's office today to talk about how to handle a complaint that attorney general candidate John Hunt violated Nevada's campaign laws.

The complaint against Hunt, a Democrat, was brought by Peter Ernaut, campaign manager for Republican candidate Brian Sandoval, who suggested a law has been broken that prohibits making a campaign contribution in the name of another person.

Ernaut said at least $158,500 out of $582,000 in Hunt collections came from the Vestin Group, its founder Michael Shustek and company employees. He questioned if the workers received raises or bonuses to cover the contributions or if they served as a "pass through" for Shustek to circumvent contribution limits.

In a Sept. 23 letter, Heller directed Hunt to answer the complaint. But he said Hunt's lawyer, Donald Campbell of Las Vegas, failed to answer the questions posed by the secretary of state's office.

"It was a non-response response," he said of the Sept. 26 letter.

Heller said there is some risk in seeking advice from the office of Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa, who has endorsed Hunt. He added he had confidence in Senior Deputy Attorney General Kateri Cavin, adviser to the secretary of state's office.

One question, he said, is whether his office should send another letter to the Hunt campaign to answer the allegations.

If there is a violation, Heller said, his office has the authority to fine up to $5,000 for each count.

"We would have to determine if each contribution was a violation," he said.