Ethics claim against Goodman dismissed

Cy Ryan and Judy Odierna

Friday, April 4, 2003 | 10:47 a.m.

The state Ethics Commission on Thursday dismissed a complaint against Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman because the commission's investigation found no "credible evidence" that Goodman had a conflict of interest in a vote related to a strip club.

Clark County resident Robert Rose filed the complaint last month, alleging that Goodman should have disclosed his relationship with the Crazy Horse Too strip club before a Las Vegas City Council vote in October.

Commission Chairman Todd Russell and Commissioner Jim Kosinski said they decided to dismiss the complaint after the initial investigation conducted by the commission's executive director, Stacy Jennings, turned up no credible evidence that Goodman had any direct financial or business relationships with the Crazy Horse Too, its owner Rick Rizzolo or Albert Rapuano, the man who was the subject of the council vote.

Jennings also reported finding "no evidence of how Mr. Goodman's vote would have secured or granted unwarranted privileges, preferences, exemptions or advantages for himself, any member of his household, or any other person."

Jennings reached those conclusions after reviewing Goodman's financial disclosure forms and the results of an investigation by the state Gaming Control Board. Jennings also searched business license and commercial recorder databases.

Jennings said Goodman, as a defense attorney, represented Rizzolo 20 years ago in a criminal complaint. She said the Control Board investigated Rapuano and found he had no personal or business ties with Goodman.

Rapuano came before the city seeking a tavern liquor license to be a manager for the Crazy Horse Too.

Rose never alleged that Goodman had any direct relationship with Rapuano; instead, he said, Goodman should have disclosed that he has relationships with other people involved at the club, including Rizzolo, the owner. Goodman told the commission he severed his business partnership with Eckley Keach, his former law partner, in July 2002, three months prior to the vote on Crazy Horse Too. The mayor said he was told by Keach he never represented Rapuano.

The complaint alleged a business relationship between the mayor's campaign manager, Tom Letizia, and the Crazy Horse Too.

Goodman said Letizia and Rapuano have no relationship. Goodman said his only financial relationship with Letizia is that he is paid for services to his re-election campaign.

Goodman has received campaign contributions from Rizzolo's father, Bart Rizzolo, and from Rick Rizzolo's company, Rick Bar, but those don't count against Goodman, Jennings said, because a 1999 law holds that campaign contributions do "not constitute a pecuniary interest."

Goodman told the Ethics Commission he specifically pulled the licensing item on Crazy Horse Too from a consent agenda to allow public discussion and testimony.

"I don't know why (the complaint) was filed in the first place," Goodman said Thursday at his weekly news conference.

Rose said he knew his complaint would get dismissed.

"They protect the higher-ups," said Rose of the Ethics Commission. "If they looked into it, they would have found there was more than meets the eye, but that's their prerogative."

Rose has filed many ethics complaints against public officials, including former Las Vegas Mayor Jan Jones, Councilman Michael McDonald, and Clark County building officials.

One of his complaints that led to charges was against Clark County Commissioner Yvonne Atkinson Gates over her involvement with McCarran International Airport concession contracts. The Ethics Commission found that Gates had violated the state ethics law.

Goodman said he feels citizens have a right to file such complaints but that there should be some type of penalty to the individual if the charges are dismissed.

"I believe the citizens should be the watchdog of government activity, but there should be a penalty if there's a dismissal of the complaint such as this one," Goodman said.

"My understanding is that it was faxed to the news media before it got to the Ethics Commission. As far as I'm concerned a citizen should be allowed to make a complaint, but it should not go to the media until there's proven to be probable cause."