Thursday, April 15, 2004 | 10:54 a.m.
Las Vegas City Attorney Brad Jerbic and Deputy City Attorney John Redlein. Three of the city's public information officers. Stephanie Boixo, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman's chief of staff. Las Vegas Councilman Michael Mack. Carolyn Goodman, the mayor's wife, and Ross Goodman, the mayor's son.
Those are among the people being subpoenaed for the state Ethics Commission's upcoming hearing regarding the mayor. The commission approved that witness list Wednesday.
The commission will meet May 12 and 13 to consider whether the mayor broke ethics rules when he hosted a party for his son's business, used a Cadillac donated to the city, accepted a contract to promote a brand of gin, and appeared in a women's magazine promotion.
Goodman, who angrily denounced the charges when they were released April 2, said Wednesday that he had basically the same list of witnesses, with "four additional people."
He would not say who they were.
Stacy Jennings, the commission's executive director, also said she might call additional witnesses. Goodman was given until Friday to submit his list.
Jennings said of any additional witnesses she might consider: "I'm going to try to abide by the same deadline I gave the mayor."
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.
The charges are outlined in a report released April 2. In the report, Jennings said that Jerbic and Redlein called her office March 11 and engaged in a conversation with her and Commission Counsel Nancy Lee Varnum in which they "asked pointed questions about where the investigation was going."
She wrote that their conduct was "entirely inappropriate" and "may implicate NRS 281.551 (2)."
That rule allows the commission to levy a fine of up to $5,000 on people who interfere with investigations.
The witness list states that Jerbic and Redlein's anticipated testimony will involve their knowledge of possible interference with investigation into the Goodman complaint.
Jerbic briefly commented Wednesday.
"I never interfered with their investigation and I look forward to testifying to the commission," he said, declining to answer further questions.
David Riggleman, who directs the public information office, said "that obviously situations like this are never enjoyable. Speaking for myself and my staff, we'll comply fully with the state ethics commission."
Goodman is charged with improperly helping iPolitix, a company in which his son and Mack are partners, and the commission questions the deals to sponsor Bombay Sapphire gin, promote Jane Magazine and use a Cadillac.
The original complaint, by Robert Rose, involved only the iPolitix complaint. That stemmed from Goodman's admission that he hosted a party for iPolitix while he was at the January U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in Washington, D.C. He also passed out party invitations that included his title.
The company produced a computer disc that allows politicians to track peoples' interest in specific issues. The disc features material owned by the city that the mayor provided to iPolitix.
Goodman's defense of the iPolitix party is based on the argument that a violation of the ethics law can only take place if he is in a position of power over the people who were invited. Since they were other mayors, and not under his jurisdiction, there cannot be a violation, he argues.
However, Jennings' contention is that Goodman's son would not have been in a position to have the party if not for the mayor's involvement, thus Goodman secured for his son an "unwarranted privilege or advantage."
The mayor attempted to dismiss the other charges as unrelated to the original complaint, and therefore beyond Jennings' authority to investigate. The two-person panel that unanimously forwarded the iPolitix issue to the full commission split on whether to include those other issues as part of the same complaint, or file a new complaint.
Because the panel split, those issues went to the full commission, and will be part of the May 12-13 hearing.
The mayor acts as a spokesman for Bombay Sapphire gin, through Southern Wines & Spirits. In exchange, the liquor distributor paid $100,000 -- $50,000 went to the Meadows School, which was co-founded by the mayor's wife, and $50,000 went to the city for the homeless.
In the case of the Cadillac, Jennings asked Goodman about use of a $55,600 vehicle provided to the city in 2002. She requested "evidence which clarifies the agreement, whether written or oral, between either the city of Las Vegas or yourself and John Tomaras/Cadillac of Las Vegas for the use of a 2003 Cadillac Seville STS; the stipulated use for the vehicle; the value of the vehicle; and the terms for its return, if any."
In the Jane Magazine deal, the mayor appeared in a promotion that gives one subscriber a trip to Las Vegas and a street in the city named after the subscriber. In exchange, the city was to get $2,000 and the free publicity from appearing in the magazine.
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