Heller waiting for Hunt to respond

Thursday, Oct. 3, 2002 | 11:13 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Secretary of State Dean Heller said today he is going to write a second letter to attorney general candidate John Hunt to ask him to respond to allegations that he violated Nevada's campaign law.

Heller made his decision after meeting this morning with members of the state attorney general's office.

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

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 whether these workers received raises or bonuses to cover the contributions or whether they served as a "pass through" for Shustek to circumvent contribution limits.

On Sept. 23 Heller directed Hunt to answer the complaint. But he said Hunt's lawyer, Donald Campbell of Las Vegas, failed to provide answers in a reply he sent Sept. 26.

"It was a non-response response," he said.

Heller said he will now pose several specific questions for Hunt to answer. And he said he will write to Shustek and the 41 contributors, asking them if Shustek funneled money through them to the Hunt campaign.

If there is a violation, Heller said, his office has the authority to fine Hunt's campaign up to $5,000 for each count. "We would have to determine if each contribution was a violation," he said.

Campbell said the complaint lacks "any facts which would support any allegation of wrongdoing. Indeed it has failed to produce even a single affidavit which would in any way support his suggestions of illegal activity."

Campbell said there was "objective evidence" from newspaper stories that all of the Vestin employees "categorically affirmed their independent decision to support Mr. Hunt."