Friday, Oct. 10, 2003 | 11:23 a.m.
Assemblyman Wendell Williams went on television to clear his name Thursday. When he pulled into the lot at Las Vegas ONE, he parked his silver BMW in a marked handicapped spot.
It didn't get much better after that, as Williams fielded questions on "Face to Face With Jon Ralston" about his use of a city of Las Vegas cell phone, altering of municipal time cards and his relationship with Topazia "Briget" Jones and Community College of Southern Nevada. He also addressed whether he would run again, and if he thought he'd be fired from his city job.
Williams did stick it out through two half-hour segments of the television show. The second segment airs today at 4:30, 5:30 and 8 p.m. on Las Vegas ONE, Cox Cable channels 1 and 39. The first half, which originally aired Thursday, will be replayed over the weekend.
Williams would not speak with the Sun after the show's taping, saying he wanted to talk with his lawyer first. He could not be reached later in the day for comment.
He had been keeping a low profile over the last several week as accounts of legal and job problems emerged. Among them: Allegations he pressured CCSN to hire Jones; his agreement to pay the city $1,844 for charges to a city of Las Vegas cell phone; and the arrangement to repay the city about $6,700 after reviewing time cards he filed for work done while he was in the legislature.
When pressed about whether he falsified time cards -- either up front, when he was reporting his hours worked for the city during the legislative sessions, or on the back end when he alleges he was asked by supervisor Sharon Segerblom to adjust the time cards to lessen media pressure -- Williams said "not to the benefit of me."
Williams said he was being a "team player" in acquiescing to the request, which led to an agreement for him to pay back the city $6,700. When Ralston asked why Williams willingly took hours off his sheet, he said he did it to maintain his involvement with Neighborhood Services programs, specifically a child care initiative and a program that helps nonviolent ex-convicts get jobs.
"So sometimes you have to do things to keep looking at the big picture and to me the big picture is the programs," Williams said.
City Manager Doug Selby reiterated Thursday that he was waiting for Segerblom, who is director of Neighborhood Services, to return from vacation Monday before pursuing Williams' allegations.
When asked about the difference between falsifying time cards and reviewing them to catch mistakes made, Selby said, "I'm not an attorney and I wouldn't comment on the legal distinction, but generally you look at the intention behind the infraction.
"If there is clear willful intent and not a misunderstanding, that's one thing," Selby said. "If there is a misunderstanding between him and his supervisor in how to fill out time sheet, that's another thing, and it doesn't rise to the level of criminal intent in my eyes."
He said he did not yet see the need to bring in an outside investigator.
"That's my responsibility. I need to look into this with the staff people involved," Selby said. "I'll have to make a decision at some point whether we need somebody independent to look at it or not, but I'm not at that point yet."
Williams also addressed the issue of his relationship with Jones, and whether he pressured the community college to hire her and arrange for special treatment. John Cummings, an instructor and lobbyist for CCSN, alleged that Williams pressed him to hire Jones.
"Did I try to get a job for Mrs. Jones? Absolutely not," said Williams, who said he and his wife are friends with Jones and her husband. Williams said Jones was "a young lady who has an outstanding potential in politics in Las Vegas."
Jones, who was seen at the Legislature wearing a jacket that identified her as Williams' personal assistant, eventually was transferred to the college's Henderson campus. A supervisor there recommended she be fired for poor attendance, poor job performance and a refusal to work with the team in place. Jones fought for her job and was reinstated by Chancellor Jane Nichols, who gave her whistleblower protection.
Williams and Jones alleged that Cummings hired Jones in an attempt to sneak in a bill that would give the college a four-year status, and when that fell through Cummings turned on them.
Cummings said in an e-mail he couldn't respond specifically to the allegations. He wrote that Williams "continues to fail to take responsibility for abusing his position. I continue to wish him well and look forward to his return to a life which will bring credit, once again, to a record of public service, which he has so sadly turned his back on.
Other issues that have dogged Williams recently include:
During Thursday's interview Williams also hinted that he had information about wrongdoing at the college.
"I know some things and people know I know," he said.
Those issues are scheduled to be heard at a Nov. 17 meeting of the state education committee, he said.
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