Council campaign spending detailed

Erin Neff

Monday, Jan. 20, 2003 | 9:52 a.m.

Las Vegas Councilman Michael McDonald used campaign money to pay his defense attorney and dipped into the campaign funds to reimburse his city staff and himself for unspecified expenses.

McDonald, a Republican seeking re-election to the Ward 1 seat this spring, reported $20,552 in donations in 2002 and $27,687 in expenses. He started the year with $10,819 and ended with a cash balance of $3,684.

McDonald received $10,000 from the Southern Nevada Franchised New and Used Truck Dealers Association, $5,000 each from Triple Five Development and Howard Hughes Corp. and a $552 refund from the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

McDonald's expenses included credit card payments, charitable donations, "miscellaneous expenses" to himself and "office expenses" to several City Hall employees.

McDonald gave $400 to his ward liaison Rick Henry and $574.10 to Henry's wife, Angela Henry. Rick Henry has served as McDonald's campaign manager in the past and was listed as the contact on a current campaign press release issued last week.

Other listed expenses included $129 to Doug Rankin, a member of McDonald's council staff, for a dinner. Bob Hyde, a friend of McDonald who also works for the city's Neighborhood Services Department and is assigned to McDonald's ward, was paid $155 for expenses related to a special event.

McDonald reports a $9,000 expense to himself under the code for "miscellaneous services."

The councilman did not return calls seeking comment.

His report, filed Jan. 15, also lists several payments totaling $1,934 to either his defense attorney Richard Wright or Wright's law firm, Wright, Judd and Winckler. Wright successfully defended the councilman in 2001 in a criminal probe and ethics investigation.

The city attorney and the district attorney have stated the use of campaign funds for attorney services related to the public office is allowed by law. State law specifies campaign contributions cannot be spent for personal use, however. Possible violations are investigated only if an ethics complaint is filed with state authorities.

McDonald also paid political consultant Kent Oram $2,500. Oram is typically involved in law enforcement races and has ties to the Las Vegas Police Protective Association, which last week endorsed McDonald despite the councilman's past police investigation and ethical travails.

The councilman lists $3,768 in four payments to American Express. The first, for $1,042 on March 6, is classified as an office expense. The second, for $500 on March 26, is listed as an office expense related to the St. Patrick's Day parade for food and rentals.

The third payment of $545 is listed as an expense related to an event. The report lists the expense as related to beads for the St. Patrick's Day parade.

The fourth payment of $1,681 is listed as an office expense. It was paid on Sept. 19.

The two other City Council members up for re-election this spring also reported raising more than $10,000 in 2002.

Gary Reese raised $49,250 in 2002 and spent $23,998. He started 2002 with $10,365 and ended with $35,751 after expenses and interest payments are added to the tally.

Reese received $10,000 from Taggart Family Limited Partnership and $500 from Judith Taggart. He received $1,000 from Station Casinos, $5,000 from Mermaids Casino and $4,000 from Chelsea Property Group. Robert Black and the Hughes Corp. gave $5,000 a piece.

The bulk of his expenses, $18,502, was made in numerous payments to political consultant Gary Gray.

Reese also listed expenses paid to City Hall staff.

Susie Martinez, one of Reese's Ward 3 liaisons, received $200 on Aug. 19 and $200 on Dec. 20 for office expenses. Loretta Arrington, his other ward liaison, also received $200 payments on each of the same dates.

Ward 5 Councilman Lawrence Weekly reported contributions of $76,546 in 2002 and expenses of $28,348. He began the year with $17,443 cash on hand and ended with $65,903 after expenses and interest earnings were included in the tally.

Weekly received $10,000 from Station Casinos and $5,000 a piece from developers Astoria Corp., Hughes Corp. and Triple Five Nevada Development Corp.

He also received $4,000 from Chelsea Property Group, which is building an outlet mall adjacent to the city-owned 61 acres in downtown Las Vegas. The councilman got a combined $9,900 from three of Republic of Southern Nevada's trash companies.

Weekly, like Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, lists every donation regardless of whether it is over $100. State law requires description of all donations over $100.

Weekly even lists a $9.01 donation from Morgan Stanley.

His expenses include donations to churches, the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity at UNLV, youth sports and the Western High School Class of 1982 reunion.

Weekly also lists credit card payments on his expense report. Six payments totaling $8,795 were made to Wells Fargo Mastercard in Columbus, Ga., in April, May, June, August, November and December of 2002.

The primary election is April 8 and the general election is June 6. To date no one has announced that they will run against the councilmen.