Goodman says he didn’t break law

Sito Negron

Friday, Jan. 30, 2004 | 11:04 a.m.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman said today that he doesn't believe he violated state law by allowing his city title to be on invitations he distributed for a party he hosted for his son's business during the U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting.

Nevada Revised Statutes section 281.481 (2) prohibits government officials from using their position "to secure unwarranted privileges" for themselves or others for whom they have a "commitment in a private capacity."

NRS 281.501 3 (c) defines people to whom government officials that kind of commitment and specifies that they include those who are a member of the household or related by "blood, adoption or marriage within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity."

Goodman said he had no concerns about his actions.

"If I felt I did something wrong, I wouldn't have done it," he said. "I'd do it tomorrow. If I can't help my son, who can I help?"

Goodman noted that his comment about his son echoed ones that were made by former Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, who ruled his city with an iron hand and "was re-elected four times."

Nevada Commission on Ethics Executive Director Stacy Jennings said her organization does not comment on whether any complaints have been filed concerning public officials unless the complaint reaches the commission's full board.

She said the process is for a person or group to file a complaint, which "triggers an investigation by us where the public servant has chance to reply to the allegation."

Jennings would then make a recommendation to a two-person panel, which would subsequently recommend whether a full board hearing is warranted.

Goodman's role in inviting U.S. Conference of Mayors delegates to a party hosted by the company partly owned by his son, Ross Goodman, and Las Vegas Councilman Michael Mack came up during questioning at a press conference Wednesday.

The mayor said at the press conference that he handed out invitations -- with his formal title of mayor -- and told people they would be interested in the product, a computer disc system for political analysis. He said he also greeted people at the event, then "went to the bar and said 'Make it a triple.' "

The company is called Ipolitix, and is a partnership between Mack, Ross Goodman, and a California company called iMedia International.