Moncrief told she’ll be target of grand jury inquiry

Cy Ryan and Jace Radke

Friday, Feb. 13, 2004 | 11:38 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Investigators are seeking an indictment of Las Vegas City Councilwoman Janet Moncrief on charges that she filed false campaign reports with the state.

The state Division of Investigations served Moncrief on Thursday with notice that an indictment would be sought against her, division deputy chief Jerry Hafen said.

The fact that investigators intended to seek the indictment was first reported by the Sun's Jeff German in his column Feb. 4.

German reported that investigators were looking into allegations that Moncrief failed to report more than $100,000 in campaign contributions in her successful bid last year to unseat incumbent councilman Michael McDonald, which investigators confirmed again yesterday.

Hafen said former Las Vegas City Councilman Steve Miller and political strategist Tony Dane have been subpoenaed to appear as witnesses Feb. 24 before the Clark County grand jury. Miller has said he was involved in the Moncrief campaign. Dane was her campaign manager.

The secretary of state's office, which received the initial complaint and asked for the investigation, approved the effort to seek the indictment along with the attorney general's office.

The attorney general's office will present the criminal allegations to the grand jury, which will decide if there is enough evidence to indict her.

Under state law, a felony conviction would mean removal from office. The secretary of state, the chief election officer in Nevada, can also pursue civil fines.

Secretary of State Dean Heller said this morning that his office will meet with investigators after the grand jury meeting and will discuss the evidence and the possibility of imposing civil fines against Moncrief.

Attempts to reach Moncrief this morning were unsuccessful. Heller's office asked the division on Aug. 4, 2003, to conduct an investigation on the complaint filed by James A. Ferrence, McDonald's campaign manager, who said he was acting on behalf of McDonald's campaign.

Ferrence, in his complaint filed April 25, 2003, alleged that Moncrief, Peter Christoff and others were guilty of a "deliberate conspiracy of deception, illegal mailings, vast underreporting of expenditures and other unlawful acts."

Christoff was a candidate in the primary race. The complaint said Christoff entered the contest to attack McDonald, take votes away from the city councilman and elect Moncrief, who went on to win the general election in June.

Ferrence said that Moncrief and Christoff underreported their campaign contributions in the primary election. He said they reported a total of $15,920. He said at least $67,710 was spent on mailers opposing McDonald.

He suggested Moncrief did not report at least 75 percent of the money she received.

The complaint said there were non-existent political action committees that spent money to defeat McDonald. And they never registered with the Secretary of State's Office, which is a violation of the law.

"It was just a matter of time before this happened," Ferrence said. "I'm not surprised at this based on the people that were working with her and the hi-jinks they usually do. This was just the first time they succeeded."

Miller admits to knowing about the alleged unreported campaign contributions while working on Moncrief's campaign.

"This is a sad day and I'm sorry I had anything to do with this," Miller said. "The public deserves to fully know what happened."

Miller said Moncrief had promised him $25,000 and a spot as her chief ward liaison in exchange for his help on her campaign, including writing fliers that were critical of McDonald.

Miller said everything he wrote in the fliers was true, but that he felt used because his promised return to city hall never happened.

"Unfortunately I told lies," Miller said. "I felt the ends justified the means and I just wanted to get back to city hall to work before I got too old.

"If I made a mistake, I'm a man and I'll pay for it."

Miller said that he has been told that Moncrief is the only target of the investigation.

Dane declined to comment to the Sun.