Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Ethics panel convinced full hearing on Goodman needed

The two members of the state Ethics Commission panel that reviewed allegations against Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman strongly felt that a full hearing was needed on the main allegation, according to a transcript of the meeting.

The panel, which was split on whether to send the rest of the charges to the full commission, agreed that the commission needed to look at whether Goodman violated state ethics laws by lending of his name and title for use on invitations for a party for his son's business during a U.S. Conference of Mayor's meeting in Washington, D.C.

The 119-page transcript of the panel's meeting April 2, which was obtained by the Sun, throws light on what could be a unique twist in the case -- the consideration of whether Goodman broke ethics rules in three incidents unrelated in their particulars to the business party. Goodman argues those cannot be considered, because there was no complaint filed about them.

Goodman says by including that in the package of charges the Ethics Commission is to consider May 12, Stacy Jennings, commission executive director, overstepped her authority. He argued that point in a letter to the commission.

"I think the procedural point is reasonably well-framed here by Mayor Goodman," Commissioner George Keele said during the hearing to review the charges. The complaint filed by Robert Rose in regards to the business party "is reasonably specific," said Keele.

A state rule allows the commission's executive director to "investigate relevant issues and facts beyond those presented in the ethics complaint." Goodman's position, supported by Keele, is that the way the rule reads, the "relevant issues and facts" must be related to the original complaint -- in this case, the business party for iPolitix, a company which Goodman's son and Councilman Michael Mack partly own.

The other commissioner on the two-person panel said he disagreed. Commission Bill Flangas said that Goodman was trying to "set the agenda to his advantage."

Flangas also said that "in the course of the investigation, some other very credible and damning situations cropped up, and she (Jennings) has a vested authority to make a thorough and complete investigation, and she's done that. Now, in my opinion credible evidence has been put together that ... needs to be considered by the full commission."

All appeared to agree that the rule is open to interpretation, and Jennings told the two that she planned to bring proposed legislation that would clear up the issue of investigative authority to the commission's meeting Wednesday. The legislation, if approved by the commission, would be presented at the next Legislature.

At next week's meeting, the commission also will consider issuing subpoenas in the Goodman case, and will discuss in closed session whether to initiate a complaint against a public official, who is not named in the meeting agenda.

While the panel split on the issue of how to proceed on three of the issues -- a $100,000 endorsement contract with Bombay Sapphire Gin, his use of a Cadillac provided free to the city, and his appearance in a Jane Magazine promotion -- that were unrelated to the iPolitix party, it was unanimous in agreeing that the mayor should not have been involved in the party.

Keele said every public official in the state of Nevada should be able to make a "hard decision" and say, "Son, no, not this time. We're going to stay so far from that bright line that no one will even ever be able to question the result."

Flangas said that "the invitation suggested a social evening, not a commercial pitch for the benefit of his son's business. The mayor encouraged his trapped guests to take and read the brochures relating to his son's business. Not very good manners or professional etiquette in any way."

The report by Jennings alleges that Goodman violated ethics laws by acting as host for the party, allowing his title to be used on the invitations, by giving out the invitations, by appearing on a CD promoting the business, and by "personally promoting his son's business at the cocktail party to other mayors, public officers or employees, and the chairman of the Democratic National Committee."

Flangas also hammered Goodman's response, in which Goodman stresses that since he held no authority over the party attendees -- other mayors, who presumably would never appear before the mayor or council seeking a benefit -- there could be no violation.

"The mayor skillfully and eloquently dodged the real issues. ... There is nothing complicated about ethics. Ethics is a matter of personal conscience with a duty and obligation to exercise moral self-discipline in the spirit of a public service as a public trust. Mayor Goodman violated both the spirit and the intent of the law," said Flangas.

He then made the motion to forward the complaint to the commission for a public hearing. Since he and Keele split on how to proceed with the other complaints against Goodman, that those also will go to the commission May 12.

All told, Goodman will face eight charges of state ethics violations in front of the Ethics Commission on May 12. If convicted of the charges, he could face fines and possible removal from office.

Goodman, who had a press conference April 2 to attack the allegations, said that the charges were politically motivated, although he would not say who was behind them. He warned that "people better not sleep," and said the truth would come out at the commission hearing.

In his response to the commission, he also insinuated -- but did not say -- that Jennings leaked information to Sun columnist Jon Ralston, who writes for the Sun.

He said she and Ralston, host of "Face to Face With Jon Ralston" on Las Vegas ONE, Cox Cable channels 1 and 19, called the city the same day asking for information about the Jane Magazine promotion, and later that day -- March 11 -- Ralston wrote an item saying it was part of the ethics inquiry.

"The apparent absence of the obligatory confidentiality of your work is shameful ... for you and for me," Goodman wrote.

Keele said Goodman's charges constitute "pure and sheer speculation on his (Goodman's) part, it's innuendo. It's guesswork. He has absolutely no evidence to confirm or corroborate his brazen suggestion and therefore in my opinion it's to be completely disregarded."

The Friday session concluded with Flangas quoting from the state ethics laws: "'A public officer or employee must commit himself to avoid conflicts between his private interests and those of the general public whom he serves."

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