Political notebook: Question 9 enjoys POTpourri of support

Erin Neff

Friday, Sept. 27, 2002 | 9:16 a.m.

Question 9 proponents unveiled some friends in high places Thursday as the campaign message shifts to argue that the marijuana initiative would close a loophole in Nevada's medical marijuana law.

Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas, who carried the state's medical marijuana bill in the 2001 session, will chair a statewide steering committee for Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement.

She's not the only lawmaker on the panel, either. Assemblyman Wendell Williams, D-North Las Vegas, is also on the steering committee.

Other committee members are Andy Anderson, former president of the Nevada Conference of Police and Sheriffs; Republican Nye County Commissioner Dick Carver; Las Vegas attorney Laura Fitzsimmons; Bob Fulkerson of Reno, executive director of the Progressive Leadership Alliance; and Rabbi Richard Schachet of Henderson.

The initiative would legalize possession of three ounces of marijuana for personal use in private places by those 21 and older.

Proponents have used the popular medical marijuana law as an argument in favor of the legalization initiative.

Giunchigliani said the initial medical marijuana law "isn't working" because there is nowhere for patients to get their marijuana.

Billy Rogers, campaign manager for the initiative, said Question 9 has picked up steam since a statewide television ad campaign began. Rogers also said his polling suggests the initiative is ahead in both Clark and Washoe counties and even in the rural counties.

Hunt skips debate

Hours after a debate Wednesday in which attorney general candidate John Hunt appeared unaware of a particular state law, his campaign manager canceled two previously scheduled television debates.

Why did Hunt suddenly back out of a planned Oct. 24 Las Vegas ONE debate with Brian Sandoval?

"Scheduling," his campaign manager, Dan Hart, said. "He's got some stuff in Reno."

Hart also pulled Hunt from a scheduled Oct. 28 debate with Sandoval on "Face to Face with Jon Ralston." Apparently that has nothing to do with Ralston's tough takes on Hunt recently in his e-mail briefing service, Flash.

"Again it was another scheduling thing," Hart said of pulling out of that debate. "He's going to spend a lot of time up in Reno the next couple of weeks."

That's apparently where he needs to be, if you can believe a new poll conducted by Public Opinion Strategies, showing Sandoval and Hunt dead even in Clark County but giving Sandoval a decided edge in Washoe and the rurals.

The poll, conducted Sept. 23 and 24 of 500 voters by Republican Glen Bolger, shows Sandoval with greater name recognition and a 10-point lead statewide. The margin of error is 4.3 percent.

Forty-two percent of those polled said they would definitely or probably vote for Sandoval compared with 32 percent who said they would definitely or probably vote for Hunt.

Sandoval was recognized by 67 percent of voters, compared to Hunt's name recognition of 55 percent.

Rural and northern voters appear more likely to cast ballots for Sandoval. In Clark County, Sandoval squeaks by 37 to 36 percent, but in Reno he wins 50 percent to 27 percent and in the rurals he's ahead 46 percent to 24 percent.

In addition to staying up north and away from debates, Hunt is apparently going to let others do his speaking for him. Sharyn Stein of Sen. Harry Reid's press office left Washington on Thursday to handle media for Hunt's campaign.

She is taking vacation time and a leave from the office to work on the campaign.

Scott leaving Ensign

Not to be outdone by Reid, Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., is sending his press secretary, Traci Scott, to Nevada to help Republicans by serving as communications director for the Victory 2002 organization.

Victory 2002 is the combined organization working on Gov. Kenny Guinn's re-election, and Lynette Boggs McDonald's and Jon Porter's bids for Congress, Brian Sandoval's bid for the attorney general's office and Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio's efforts to keep the state Senate Republican.

Scott, a former KLAS Channel 8 reporter, has covered campaigns, including Ensign's 1998 race, for which she won an award for a day-in-the-life of a candidate story.

But until this week, she has never been a part of a campaign.

Herrera's green thumb

The green and the greens are rolling in for Democratic congressional candidate Dario Herrera.

On Thursday, the Sierra Club and WILD PAC flanked Herrera at Desert Wetlands Park to applaud his leadership in the fight against Yucca Mountain and to endorse him in the race against Republican Jon Porter.

Herrera, the chairman of the Clark County Commission, has received a different kind of green on his side from developer Jim Rhodes and employees who contributed $27,000 to Herrera's campaign.

And that is raising eyebrows in Republican headquarters, with the National Republican Congressional Committee filing a complaint Thursday with the Federal Election Commission.

The complaint alleges bundling -- an illegal practice in which donations are given in the names of other donors -- by Rhodes' high-ranking employees through those "on the lower rungs of the corporate ladder."

The complaint also calls attention to a $5,000 contribution from the Free Cuba PAC. According to the PAC's July 15 FEC report, Aleyda and Jorge Mas gave $5,000 each to the PAC on April 9. The PAC donated to Herrera on April 17 -- the only contributions and disbursements of the PAC in the second quarter. The NRCC alleges the PAC was a pass-through to skirt campaign limits.

"This is just another attempt by the NRCC to distract attention from the fact that Jon Porter wants to privatize Social Security," Herrera said.

Herrera's campaign said they don't understand the Free Cuba PAC accusation because the PAC has also contributed to other candidates in other quarters, including donations to Ensign, and Jorge Mas donated to President Bush's campaign.

Herrera said he knows of nothing wrong with the Rhodes' donations.

Attorney general candidate Hunt is facing a similar allegation about bundling related to $160,000 of donations linked to Vestin Mortgage. The secretary of state's office is determining whether to investigate that claim, which was raised by Sandoval.

KLVX debates

Want to learn more about state legislative candidates? KLVX Channel 10 plans a number of debates on a sister educational channel.

Assembly candidates are scheduled to debate on Oct. 3, Oct. 10 and Oct. 17. State Senate candidates will square off on Oct. 24 and 31. All debates will air on cable Channel 70 at 9 p.m.

KLVX is also planning debates on Channel 10: Oct. 4 for attorney general and lieutenant governor; Oct. 11 for sheriff and district attorney; Oct. 18 and Oct. 25 for Congressional District 3 candidates and Nov. 1 for Congressional District 1 candidates.

More information is on the website (www.klvx.org).

For the record