Assemblyman’s donation link on Web site is shut down

Kirsten Searer

Wednesday, March 30, 2005 | 10:47 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- A Web site for Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, a potential candidate for governor, was set up to allow donations until Tuesday, despite a state law that bans legislators from taking contributions during the legislative session.

Tuesday morning, Perkins' Web site, www.richardperkins.com, contained a link that gave a mailing address to potential donors and allowed them to immediately give money by credit card.

Perkins has not officially declared his candidacy for governor, though his Web site outlines his background and touts him as "A leader for Nevada's future."

Perkins, D-Henderson, said Tuesday morning that he is certain his campaign hasn't processed donations from the Web site during the session, and would return any money that was submitted.

"If somebody attempted to (make a donation), we would tell them they can't," he said.

The Web page was taken off Perkins' site by Tuesday afternoon. A Perkins campaign consultant said Tuesday afternoon it had mistakenly been left up.

Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, a potential gubernatorial candidate, said she was alerted to the site by some supporters. She said word spread about the Web site and people tried giving Perkins money. The transactions went through, and the people received thank-you notes, she said.

Perkins' staff said any donations made were voided before the transaction was completed.

Nevada Revised Statute 294A.300 stipulates that it is unlawful for any member of the Legislature, the lieutenant governor or the governor to solicit or accept any monetary contributions "for any political purpose" 30 days before or after a regular session. It was unclear if a Web page is a solicitation. A spokesman for the Secretary of State's office said he had no comment, and answered questions by referring to a reporter to the law. Secretary of State's officials typically do not comment on cases that have not been referred to the office.

According to the National Conference on State Legislatures, 17 states limit contributions to legislators from anyone during the legislative session, including Nevada. Another 11 limit contributions from lobbyists during the legislative session.

Titus also has a link to contributions on her Web site, but it then states, "Thanks for your interest in contributing to my campaign. Nevada State Law prohibits us from accepting contributions immediately before, during and after the Nevada Legislature is in session."

It might have been a mistake that Perkins' Web site still allows contributions, Titus said, but she said "that's the law. We know the law, we should be extra careful to comply with it."

"We're supposed to be held to a higher standard," she said. "These are the simple things."

Another potential gubernatorial candidate, Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt, still has an election Web site from her 2002 reelection, though it hasn't been updated recently and does not allow contributions.

As the President of the Senate, Hunt is also prohibited from taking donations during the legislative session.

The Web site is an obvious violation of the intent of the campaign law, said Craig Walton, a professor emeritus of ethics at UNLV. Walton said he saw the Web site Monday night.

He said Perkins would do the right thing if he were to immediately pull the site and return donations made during the session.

"Get it down by lunchtime," he said. "It's too embarassing and there's no good reason for it."

The law was created to wall off the time that legislators spend in Carson City, Walton said. Lobbyists or other special interest groups might think they could curry special favor from legislators if they donate during the session, Walton said.

"You don't want to give the appearance of peddling or buying legislators," he said.