Ethics panel’s counsel rejects mayor’s motion

Friday, May 7, 2004 | 11:26 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The attorney for the state Ethics Commission has recommended against dismissing a complaint against Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, accused of using his official position to promote a business in which his son has an interest.

Counsel Nancy Lee Varnum said the commission has no authority to dismiss the complaint in which two members found there was sufficient cause to hold a full-scale hearing, now set to begin May 12.

Goodman, on April 27, filed a motion with the Ethics Commission to dismiss the complaint, repeating arguments he had previously made, saying the allegations were based on non-credible evidence such as newspaper articles.

The motion said the charges were untrue and without basis and "tended to place Mayor Goodman in an unfair and false light," and said the commission's executive director went beyond the scope of the complaint.

He also said the meeting violated the state's open-meeting law.

In her letter to the commission on April 28, Varnum rebutted all of the complaints. She said Goodman had a chance to respond to all of the complaints.