Paiute police chief won’t be marshal

Jace Radke

Friday, March 11, 2005 | 11:35 a.m.

Las Vegas Paiute Police Chief Theodore Quasula's bid to become the next U.S. marshal for Nevada has been rejected, and federal government sources say that the reason is partisan politics.

Quasula said that he learned about three weeks ago that the recommendation for the post from Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., in November was rejected by the White House.

Quasula would not specify why he was passed-over for the position, but said that "the rejection had nothing to do with my qualifications, integrity, professionalism or my personal life."

Sources said that Quasula, a Democrat, was rejected because during the interview process when asked what he had done to help get President Bush elected to a second term he honestly answered that he had not supported the president's re-election campaign.

Quasula said that he was disappointed in the rejection, but said he was very grateful that Sen. Ensign recommended him for the position in the first place.

"He (Ensign) told me it was a tough decision because the top candidates were highly qualified; but that I had a little edge, and he was proud in recommending me to President Bush," Quasula said.

Donald Hines, a spokesman with the U.S. Marshals Service in Washington, said his office is aware that the nomination has been withdrawn, and that he was told that Ensign's office was responsible for withdrawing Quasula from consideration.

Ensign's spokesman, Jack Finn, said that the senator had no comment on the marshal post. Finn would not confirm that Ensign withdrew Quasula from consideration, and said the senator had not yet sent the president any additional names for consideration.

"We will wait to comment until the president makes his nomination," Finn said.

Nevada's last two marshals, Richard Winget and Jose Troncoso, both Democrats, were recommended by Ensign and passed White House scrutiny. Winget was confirmed as marshal in March 2003 and served until July 2004.

Troncoso was originally named marshal in November 1997 by President Clinton. In 2001 Bush nominated Troncoso to continue in the position, but he took a job at Station Casinos in May 2002 before the Senate confirmed him to the post.

In November Ensign held a press conference at the George Federal Building to announce his recommendation of Quasula, who was hired by the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe to serve as a police chief for the reservation in January 2003.

At the press conference Ensign said "Ted Quasula has more than 30 years of law enforcement experience and has served our citizens with distinction. Ted's lifelong commitment to law enforcement, his professionalism and his incredible experience make him an extremely qualified candidate."

Quasula, 54, grew up in Northern Arizona outside a Hualapai reservation, and became an officer with the Flagstaff Police Department when he was 21. After two years as a patrol officer, Quasula, a member of the Hualapai tribe, joined the Bureau of Indian Affairs as a criminal investigator in 1974.

In 1990 he was named director of the bureau's office of law enforcement services, where he served for a decade developing the bureau's Indian Police Academy, detention, inspection and evaluation programs as well as internal affairs.

He retired for three years before he decided to take the job as police chief for the local Paiute tribe, helping to turn around the reputation of a department that was plagued by scandals before his arrival.

Quasula said that the rejection came as a shock, but said he has put the situation behind him.

"Of course I was very disappointed, but since then I've moved on and intend to continue doing what I know best which is providing professional law enforcement services," Quasula said.

Sun reporter

Benjamin Grove contributed to this story.