Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Commissioner won’t pull controversial ad

Does he or doesn't he?

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman has become wrapped into the re-election campaign of embattled Clark County Commissioner Mary Kincaid-Chauncey over the question of his "support."

Kincaid-Chauncey, a two-term commissioner facing a federal indictment in a political corruption case, began running a TV ad this week that suggests his support and shows a picture of her and Goodman together. The voiceover says Goodman calls her "a dedicated public servant."

The ad has created a ruckus in the tightly contested Democratic primary campaign. A challenger's staff is accusing Kincaid-Chauncey of "misleading" voters. Goodman issued a statement making it clear it's not an endorsement but that he's "supportive" of Kincaid-Chauncey and the three other Democrats in the race.

Kincaid-Chauncey, however, said Wednesday that she will continue to air the ad.

Kincaid-Chauncey is facing federal charges in a political corruption case from her time in office and is now facing a tough challenge in the Democratic primary from North Las Vegas Councilwoman Shari Buck, Assemblywoman Vonne Chowning and Assemblyman Tom Collins.

She said Wednesday that she would not take the ad off the air because "it is all true."

"Oscar gave me the picture and the quote last week. I don't say he's endorsing me and don't even say he's supporting me," Kincaid-Chauncey said. "Last week he took the picture with me in his office, gave me the quote and said I could use it however we wanted to."

She said Goodman's quote included a reference to his "support" for her, but she said she did not use that portion of the quote because it might have implied that the mayor endorsed Kincaid-Chauncey.

The ad says, "Mayor Goodman calls Mary a dedicated public servant and says she's never let partisan politics affect her vote and has worked to secure future water supplies, reduce violent crime, create more parks, and put a lid on rising health care costs."

Kincaid-Chauncey said the photos with Goodman were taken last Thursday and developed on Friday at about the time her publicist Robin Joyce was completing the television ad. She said it was at that point the decision was made to add the photos and quote to the television ad "pretty much as an afterthought."

Kincaid-Chauncey said she felt it was OK to do that because Goodman knew the photos and quote were obtained "to use specifically for a political ad."

But Goodman had balked at being filmed for the commercial, she said.

"I had asked Mayor Goodman prior to that (photo taking) to do a live television commercial for me, but he said his political advisors didn't feel comfortable with him doing that," Kincaid-Chauncey said.

"He probably thought the photos and quote would be used in a print brochure and not a television ad."

Kincaid-Chauncey said a decision has not yet been made about whether to use the photos and quote in the yet-to-be-designed campaign brochure.

Kincaid-Chauncey said she could not produce today a copy of the exact quote Goodman gave her because it is in the possession of Joyce. Joyce was out of town today and could not be reached, his assistant said. Kincaid-Chauncey however said that except for the "support" statement, everything from Goodman's statement was used in the commercial.

Goodman declined to make himself available to a Sun reporter today despite a request to the city's public information office and attempts to reach his chief of staff's office.

The city's public information office, however, released the following statement on the mayor's behalf: "Mary Kincaid's response ends the inquiry as far as the mayor is concerned."

In a written statement Tuesday, Goodman insisted that he did not endorse any particular candidate in the combative District B race.

"I absolutely am not endorsing Mary Kincaid," Goodman said. "I was specific in that I was not endorsing any of the candidates." Goodman said he was "happy to be supportive" of Collins, Buck, Chowning and Kincaid-Chauncey "as far as having an excellent relationship with them while working on government affairs."

Gary Gray, Collins' campaign manager, sent a letter to Kincaid-Chauncey calling the television ad "simply not honest."

"By running this ad, you are purposely misleading voters," Gray said in his letter. "For this reason, I ask you to do the responsible thing and take this ad off the air immediately."

Kincaid-Chauncey, who represents District B, was indicted on federal public corruption charges last year for allegedly accepting bribes in return for favorable votes on issues affecting a strip club chain.

Goodman spoke up for Kincaid-Chauncey after the indictment was revealed in November. He publicly reminded would-be voters that law enforcement has to "prove you are guilty," and noted that "the FBI used to follow me around, too."

Kincaid-Chauncey was troubled by Goodman's statement. "It makes it difficult for me because it puts me in a bad light," she said. "I've always considered Oscar a friend, so I was a little surprised. But politics are politics, I guess. I understand how it works."

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