Miller: Records prove Moncrief calls

Wednesday, June 25, 2003 | 11:34 a.m.

Steve Miller, a supporter-turned-opponent of Las Vegas City Councilwoman Janet Moncrief, says that his cell phone records of phone calls to Moncrief during the campaign prove his involvement was more than she has admitted.

Miller, a former Las Vegas city councilman, one-time mayoral candidate and longtime political gadfly, released his March 16-May 17 phone records to the news media Tuesday to support his June 18 affidavit with the Secretary of State's office that accuses Moncrief of questionable campaign practices.

The records show that during that time period, Miller made 18 calls to two cell phones he says were Moncrief's. They include 13 calls of three minutes or less in duration and one call on April 5 that was 13 minutes long.

"I don't use my cell phone a lot," Miller said. "I received 90 percent of calls relating to the campaign at my home numbers. I received numerous voice mail messages asking me to call back numbers belonging to Moncrief or her associates on my cell."

That, he says, shows their relationship was more than that of an ordinary campaign worker and candidate.

However, without Moncrief's record of out-going cell calls, it is difficult to substantiate that Miller was returning her calls. Also, there is no indication whether she answered any of the shorter calls or whether they went through to her voice mail and were not returned.

Attempts to reach Moncrief on her cell phone and through a city spokesperson were not successful. An aide said Moncrief, during the campaign, on occasion, "asked Steve Miller about issues related to Ward 1. But she (Moncrief) said the phone records in no way support Miller's claims" that he was an official with her campaign or his allegations that she did anything wrong.

However, a call to one of the numbers Miller said belonged to Moncrief -- a number that accounted for 14 of the 18 calls -- was answered today by a machine that said it was the voice mail of Bob Stupak.

Stupak is a local gambler, ex-casino owner and one-time mayoral candidate who some political observers have said is wielding influence over political newcomer Moncrief. He also has been said to be her boyfriend.

Moncrief, a nurse, said Stupak is a friend and former patient. She was on duty in 1995 when Stupak arrived at the University Medical Center with critical injuries from a motorcycle accident.

A call to that same number Tuesday was answered by a man who said it was not Janet Moncrief's cell phone and that he did not have any knowledge that a Janet Moncrief had used the phone.

Miller is one of three former Moncrief backers to come forward with complaints accusing Moncrief of other deceptive campaign practices including sending out negative campaign mailers critical of incumbent Michael McDonald, whom she defeated in the primary and general election.

Miller has said he was an advisor to Moncrief during the campaign, noting that he coached her for TV appearances. She has said that he approached her on numerous occasions but that he was not an official in her campaign.

Miller's affidavit was filed the same day Moncrief was sworn in and the same day that one of Moncrief's primary opponents Peter "Chris" Christoff filed similar complaints saying he too helped Moncrief with campaign fliers critical of McDonald.