Columnist Jeff German: Goodman needs dose of humility

Tuesday, April 6, 2004 | 11:11 a.m.

Jeff German's column appears Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays in the Sun. Reach him at german@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4067.

If only Mayor Oscar Goodman were as good at showing humility as he is promoting himself and his family.

Had he apologized for making errors in judgment during the course of his official duties, he probably wouldn't be in so much hot water with the Nevada Ethics Commission.

His arrogance, however, has earned him a public hearing May 12 on allegations he improperly promoted a business involving his son Ross at a cocktail party in Washington. Ethics laws prohibit a public official from using his position to obtain "unwarranted benefits" for himself or family members.

The Ethics Commission also will determine whether Goodman violated ethics laws by accepting the use of a Cadillac from a local car dealer, entering into a $100,000 contract to promote Bombay Sapphire Gin and offering to rename a city street in a contest for Jane Magazine.

Whether the mistakes Goodman made rise to the level of breaking the law is a matter for the commission to decide next month. But clearly mistakes were made.

Goodman's response has not been one of remorse, but rather defiance.

His hastily called news conference late Friday, after Stacy Jennings, the commission's executive director, issued a report recommending moving forward with the allegations, was as embarrassing as any involving a public official I've ever seen.

The mayor came across as a man who is so taken with himself and his political popularity, a man who believes he can do no wrong, a man who is out of touch with reality.

As he has throughout the ethics investigation, Goodman was unrepentant and vitriolic, and he said he intended to get "in the face" of his critics.

He challenged the Ethics Commission's authority to call him on the carpet and blamed everyone but himself for his troubles, especially the messengers of bad tidings, including Sun columnist Jon Ralston, his biggest critic.

His rantings reminded me of the days when Goodman was a criminal defense lawyer and used such mean-spirited tactics to divert attention away from the misdeeds of his clients, who usually were notorious mob figures. This time, however, Goodman was defending himself.

I could hardly believe my ears when Goodman suggested that, if the commission doesn't like the way he does business at City Hall, he'll change the way government, as we know it, works in Southern Nevada.

This is the kind of contemptuous talk you would expect from a schoolyard bully, not a media-savvy elected official.

Goodman missed an opportunity Friday to stand up like a man and admit his mistakes.

It may be too late for the mayor to change course now and opt for civility in this fight. His ego probably won't allow it.

But any rookie political strategist would tell him that he would fare much better in the end if he makes an effort to at least appear humble.

Goodman also would be wise not to count on his popularity with the public to carry him through this. He should remember that even the most popular politicians still are human and make errors in judgment.

When politicians think they're above the law, they usually find out in a hurry that they're not as popular as they think.