Columnist Jon Ralston: Mayor can’t help son this way

Friday, Jan. 30, 2004 | 5:15 a.m.

Jon Ralston hosts the news discussion program Face to Face on Las Vegas ONE and publishes the Ralston Report. He can be reached at (702) 870-7997 or at ralston@vegas.com.

WEEKEND EDITION

Jan. 31 - Feb. 1, 2004

"If anybody tells me I can't help my son, who I love, they can drop dead."-- Mayor Oscar Goodman, 1/28/04

AS I MAY HAVE limited time left before His Honor's oft-repeated hope of my sudden demise comes true, let me tell him what the state Ethics Commission inevitably will decree, apparently also under penalty of death: He can't help Ross Goodman by using his elected position to try to fatten his son's bank account.

That's what he did recently in Washington, D.C., a prima facie violation of state ethics laws, as he misled his fellow mayors into attending a launch party for his son's new venture, an event disguised as a meet and greet with Goodman. This is a natural progression for the chutzpah king, who began by funneling money to his wife's private school through an embarrassing gin deal that was supposed to benefit the homeless (and has yet to do so while his wife's school long ago banked a $50,000 check) and continues with the regular appearance of his lawyer sons in front of the council on behalf of clients.

I know some people think I criticize Goodman too much or too harshly. They point to his infectious ebullience and amazing charisma that have brought so much attention to Las Vegas. But what continues to flabbergast me is how his dynamic personality and preternatural enthusiasm are the sheen that deceives so many, the mask that conceals the self-aggrandizing Goodman whose mores are in line with some of his former mob clients.

Goodman's hubris reached a zenith last week with his defense of an indefensible and naked attempt to exploit his mayoralty to help a business in which his son, Ross, has partnered with Councilman Michael Mack, an ersatz stepson to His Honor. All in the family, I suppose.

This time, Goodman has hung himself because his own account provides enough facts for the state ethics panel to initiate an investigation. This is one of those cases where the violation is not murky; it is clear and so is the statute:

"A public officer or employee shall not use his position in government to secure or grant unwarranted privileges, preferences, exemptions or advantages for ... any person to whom he has a commitment in a private capacity to the interests of that person." And among the definitions of that person is one "who is related to him by blood, adoption or marriage within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity." Q.E.D.

The facts, even as Goodman related them, are damning:

During a taxpayer-funded trip to Washington, D.C. -- that is, one in which his elected position got him there -- Goodman passed out invitations to his fellow mayors and others. It is very misleading. On one side, it has the name of the company -- iPolitix -- that no one could possibly connect to the Goodman family and the flip side says, "Las Vegas Mayor Oscar B. Goodman cordially invites you to join him for cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and cigars." That is, the event at the Capitol Hilton, where the Conference of Mayors was occurring, was presented (falsely) as a reception for His Honor.

When guests arrived, they were treated to Dad's endorsement of Goodman the Younger's business and a packet was available with a news release announcing the launch of iPolitix, which will provide CDs as an interactive tool to help candidates.

At his news conference Wednesday in Las Vegas, Goodman was spectacularly disingenuous and yet made the case for the ethics violation. When asked about any conflict by "lending the weight of your name" to the event, Goodman sharply replied, "I didn't do that ... I didn't use my influence at all." And yet, he personally disseminated the invitations, touted the product to, among others, the chairman if the Democratic National Committee, and, it turns out, he is in the promotional CD for iPolitix. In fact, Goodman proudly beamed, "I am the disc."

It comes as no surprise that sources report some who attended were aghast when they realized this was a crass attempt by Goodman to sell his son's business. "That was so over the top," said one municipal official.

Yes, a fine image for our mayor to put forth on the national stage: A pimp for his son.

It's nothing short of grotesque, too, that Goodman brandishes his love for Ross as a shield to parry any criticism. It's an insult to any loving parent who would not so blithely cross the ethical lines Goodman has.

As one seasoned observer of city politics pointed out, Goodman's hypocrisy is redolent. This is the same mayor who had then-Councilman Michael McDonald stripped of his mayor pro tem title because he used his government job to try to help his employer. Now His Honor has used his government position to the benefit of his son.

After he had publicly humiliated McDonald, Goodman declared that "a lesson needs to be learned from this -- that the City Council will not tolerate anything less than the highest ethical behavior."

So I wonder, mayor, although even asking the question could cause me to, if you have your way, drop dead: If McDonald deserved to lose his ceremonial title and be subjected to incessant public obloquy because of what he did, what's the proper punishment for your more egregious transgression?