Goodman to face ethics charges

Friday, April 2, 2004 | 4:54 a.m.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman will face eight charges of state ethics violations in front of the Ethics Commission next month, the commission announced Friday.

The commission will hear allegations that he broke the state ethics law by hosting a cocktail party at a National Conference of Mayors meeting in Washington, D.C. for a company called iPolitix. The company is owned in part by his son, Ross, and Councilman Michael Mack. The company made a pitch to sell their computer software to the mayors at the party.

He'll also face an inquiry into his contract to be a spokesman for Bombay Sapphire Gin, the use of a Cadillac from a local car dealership, a promotion with Jane magazine and questions about his use of city videotapes.

If convicted of the charges, Goodman could face losing his position.

Goodman, holding a press conference outside City Hall on a rainy afternoon, blasted the findings, written by commission executive director Stacy Jennings.

"I don't know whether they're politically motivated," Goodman said. "I can't think of any other reason to attribute them."

The mayor declared that he would not be deterred and would fight the charges.

"I'm going to run the city the way I want to run the city," he said. "I will not let anyone tell me how to run the city."

Goodman said the allegations "are old, nothing's changed."

But a panel of the commission found reason to move forward with a hearing on allegations of eight violations of five state laws.

The commission will meet May 12 in Clark County to hear the case.

The allegations lay out a case against Goodman charging him with using his office to help himself or his family.

Regarding the iPolitix charge, the commission finding noted that Goodman apparently helped his son by providing city videotapes for the iPolitix software. It also says that Goodman passed out invitations to a cocktail party at which the product was presented to other mayors for sale. The charges say that he used his position as mayor to help his son by doing so.

The allegations also question his work with Bombay Sapphire Gin through Southern Wines & Spirits. In the deal, the mayor acts as a spokesman, holding "Martinis with the Mayor" events at bars. In exchange, the liquor distributor paid $100,000 -- $50,000 went to the Meadows School, which was co-founded by his wife, and $50,000 went to the city for the homeless. The city funds had not been released as of earlier this month to help the homeless.

Goodman said regarding iPolitix, "I would do it again."

"When it comes time I'm being told that I can't help my son in an ethical manner it's time to speak loud and clear as I am today," Goodman said.

He charged that Jennings had an agenda that would come out at the hearing.

"There's a screw loose," he said.

In the report, he is quoted as calling Sun columnist and TV host Jon Ralston a "creep." Ralston has been an outspoken critic of the mayor's actions.

"I'm being told by envious, jealous people, by journalists who are trying to make names on my bones that I can't have 'Martinis with the Mayor,' 'Coffee with the Mayor,"' Goodman said.

"If there's anything wrong with that I'm going to keep on doing that and I'm going to have my face in their face as long as I'm the mayor of Las Vegas."

In the report, Goodman was quoted as saying the commission was "manipulated" by Ralston and says that Ralston was providing information to the commission, a charge denied by Jennings.

Goodman said the commission "better be ready for me."

"I'll defend myself," he said. "I'm the best lawyer I know."

He said he would like the meeting moved up "as long as it doesn't interfere with my NCAA (Final Four) betting."