James paid Culinary Union’s $21,000 bill for campaign help

Adrienne Packer

Thursday, Oct. 31, 2002 | 11:30 a.m.

About three weeks after hundreds of Culinary Union members switched political parties to help shepherd Clark County Commission candidate Mark James past his primary election opponent, James cut the organization a check for $21,695.89.

James, a Republican, said he was billed for union members' work on his campaign. Glen Arnodo, the Culinary's political director, said the money helped fund the "Get Out the Vote" program.

Several politicians, however, said receiving a bill from the union for campaign work is rare if not unheard-of. It's also uncommon for unions to endorse and support a Republican, although James is pro-choice and has been receptive to labor in the past.

"Unions are less likely to support Republicans than Democrats, but a candidate (giving) money to a union? I don't know if I've ever heard of that," said Eric Herzig, a political science professor at the University of Nevada, Reno.

"Unions give money to candidates, but candidates giving money to the union? That's like water flowing uphill."

Democratic Party chairman Terry Care said politicians often repay loans, make reimbursements or fund phone banks, but those payments are minimal.

"I'm not saying it's nefarious, but I have never heard of anything like this," Care said of James' payment to the union. "Normally it's the other way around; the checks go to the candidate."

The Culinary Local 226 was instrumental in James' victory over fellow Republican Tim Cory in the Sept. 5 primary election. The union, which traditionally backs Democrats, persuaded about 400 members to switch parties and vote in the Republican primary for James, Arnodo said. And the union worked for his election with its get out the vote drive. Cory lost by 227 votes.

James said he was was billed for union members' work walking door-to-door and rounding up votes.

"They had some very good people that worked on my campaign," James said. "They are professional people who did an extraordinary job and I paid their bill."

James' payment to the Culinary Union amounted to about a third of its total expenses between late August and late October. About $57,000 of the $63,000 spent was to pay staff members, according to the union's campaign contribution forms.

Arnodo said he didn't recall sending an invoice to James but said the commission front-runner was the only individual who contributed to the Get Out the Vote program in the primaries.

Arnodo added that he thinks the practice should become more common.

"Over the years we spend a lot of money supporting candidates," Arnodo said. "Candidates who have money can give money to our union anytime."

It would have been a wise move if James contributed money to the union in support of the Get Out the Vote program, Herzig said. But the fact James said he received a bill, especially in light of the controversial party switching prior to the primary, is unusual, he said.

"It could be completely innocent, but it certainly raises questions particularly given the uncertainty of what this money was used for," Herzig said. "Why didn't they bill anyone else? Does the union decide which candidate it's going to work for based on who pays their bill?"

James and Ardono defended the arrangement. James received help and the union received money for its work.

James' campaign contribution forms were mailed to the Election Department and not immediately available.