Allegations have plagued Herrera

Jace Radke

Friday, Nov. 7, 2003 | 9:45 a.m.

-- Las Vegas Sun

Herrera was accused of voting for regulations benefiting his wife's clients in the billboard industry and was accused of inappropriately receiving part of a public relations contract from the Las Vegas Housing Authority.

Herrera was cleared of the ethics charge in connection with the billboard issue.

In February 2002 the FBI decided not to pursue an investigation into the Housing Authority's $84,000-a-year public-relations contract awarded to Tribeca Media and Herrera's public relations firm, Herrera Communications Group, after Herrera and Tribeca Media owner Lucie Melchert backed out of the deal.

Herrera was also a commissioner when a July 2002 ordinance was passed that restricted the stuffing of money into G-strings at topless clubs. Among the clubs affected by the ordinance was Jaguars, a club owned by indicted strip club owner Michael Galardi.

Herrera cast the lone vote against the restrictions.

Clark County Commissioner Mary Kincaid-Chauncey later asked that the ordinance be reconsidered, and in a second vote in December the board removed the part of the ordinance that had prohibited the touching of dancers by placing money into G-strings.

At the December meeting Herrera, Kincaid-Chauncey, Bruce Woodbury and then-Commissioner Erin Kenny voted to remove the G-string portion of the ordinance.