Thursday, Oct. 23, 2003 | 11:14 a.m.
Assemblyman Wendell Williams and other black lawmakers are being smeared with allegations of "double-dipping" into the public coffers, say leaders of community groups who plan a series of rallies that started today under a North Las Vegas statue of Martin Luther King.
Williams and several other state lawmakers have come under scrutiny for collecting pay from their local government employers for days on which they were serving in the Legislature. The growing controversy has received extensive media coverage and has provoked criticism of the legislators involved.
"Clearly, in my opinion, and that of people in the community, it's over the top," said Patricia Cunningham, founder and president of the Alliance for Social Justice.
At 10:30 a.m. today, about 20 people met at Martin Luther King Boulevard and Carey Avenue where the first rally was getting under way.
Nation of Islam Mosque No. 75 leader Duke Mohammed said, "We know when we see an old-fashioned lynching ... We know what character assassination looks like."
As he spoke, there were murmurs of assent and calls of "Amen."
The most extensive media coverage in the controversy leading up to the rally has been of Williams, a Neighborhood Services Department employee in the city of Las Vegas who was disciplined for what officials said was abuse of his municipal cell phone and violations of policy in filling out his time cards.
Williams said Wednesday the rallies grew out of the feedback he got during an appearance on 88.1 KCEP-FM last weekend.
"We did not get one negative call," he said. "The number of people who called in support is what led to the events (today), Saturday and Sunday."
Williams maintains he did nothing wrong in claiming city work time while he was in the 2003 Legislature -- for which he eventually agreed to pay back about $6,700.
"But now that we're at this point, the agreement was made, the discipline has been served, and I've served it and completed it, and I'm looking forward to moving on and taking care of the business of the city of Las Vegas," he said.
City officials suspended Williams for two weeks because of the time card issue, and also for what they said was excessive use of his municipal cell phone. The city also has placed his supervisor, Neighborhood Services Director Sharon Segerblom, on suspension, for what officials said was a failure to follow procedures related to filling out and filing time cards. Segerblom is white.
In a report on the incident, Deputy City Manager Betsy Fretwell, who is Segerblom's supervisor, recommended discipline "up to and including termination."
The report also notes another investigation that could carry the same punishment. That investigation, by the city auditor, is looking into sick time claimed on 2001 time cards filed by Williams and Assemblyman Morse Arberry, who left the city in early 2002.
Williams said he cannot talk in detail about what happened in 2001, but did say that he followed the procedures he was given by his supervisor, who he said was Arberry.
Arberry was not available for comment.
Williams said "this whole thing hasn't been fun, but I do look forward to (the issue of the) 2001 (time cards) and getting my story out."
The two lawmakers are not the only ones who work for local government entities.
Clark County managers are recommending two employees who are state legislators -- senior management analyst and Assemblyman Kelvin Atkinson, D-Las Vegas, and senior advocate and Assemblywoman Kathy McClain, D-Las Vegas -- be fired because they reported sick time when they were in session. Atkinson is black; McClain is white.
Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, who is a Deputy Chief of the Henderson Police Department, generally worked 19 hours a week during the 2003 sessions. He said he did much of the work telecommuting, and there is no indication his time is being reviewed by his supervisors. Perkins is white.
Three of the lawmakers who are under scrutiny -- Atkinson, Arberry and Williams -- are black, leading some to imply that racism is driving the criticism.
Dr. James Tate, who is involved with the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression and the Coalition to Prevent the Erosion of Human Rights, said the media coverage, particularly that of Williams, is an attempt to force him and other black lawmakers out of office.
"The bottom line is this: Wendell Williams was elected by the people of the predominantly African-American community," Tate said. "When the community decides to take Wendell out, that's when we'll do it.
"Not the R-J, not the Sun, not Channel 8. They didn't elect him, we did."
The rally today is one of several events meant to prove that point, Tate said. Saturday, a coalition of groups will meet at City Hall at noon, then march from there to a rally at the Las Vegas Library, 833 Las Vegas Blvd. North.
On Sunday, local organizers will discuss forming a Las Vegas chapter of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, the outfit founded by the Rev. Jesse Jackson, said the Rev. Jesse Scott.
Organizers are hoping for a visit from Jackson himself, although that has not been confirmed. The Sunday meeting is at 3 p.m. at Second Baptist Church, 500 W. Madison, Scott said.
Scott said that the group is not being organized specifically in reaction to the developing time-card issue. Scott was to attend today's rally.
The people that plan to form the group, he said, "like all the rest of the groups that are going to be there, are interested in knowing what process was applied (to the city investigation of Williams)."
Williams said he did not push for any of the events, which developed after the radio show appearance last weekend.
"In 18 years in public office, I've had more people call in the last few weeks than in any other period or for any other reason," he said. "Most of them ask what, if anything, they could do. I guess finally some people decided to put things together."
Williams, 53, first was elected to the Assembly in 1986, representing District 6, a heavily Democratic district that straddles U.S. 95 and includes neighborhoods near the Spaghetti Bowl. He has been reelected to eight two-year terms, usually by wide margins because of nominal opposition.
The Louisiana native, a 26-year resident of Las Vegas, was a sixth grade school teacher for many years before taking a job as a management analyst for the city of Las Vegas in 1996. He has enjoyed the support of local unions, including the Nevada State Education Association, which represents teachers.
Williams rose quickly through the Nevada Legislature's leadership ranks, becoming chairman of the Assembly Education Committee in 1991. He has since added the title of Assembly speaker pro tempore, the second highest position in the lower chamber.
Williams has taken on many of Southern Nevada's leading government establishments in the past, including Metro Police and the Clark County School District.
His recent troubles have gone beyond the time-card issues with the city of Las Vegas, and include:
Sun reporter
Steve Kanigher contributed to this story
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