Former councilman’s past haunts him

Dan Kulin

Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2005 | 8:13 a.m.

So are the feds taking aim at former Las Vegas Councilman Michael McDonald or not?

On Oct. 27 the FBI asked the city for what would likely be truckloads of documents on the former police officer and councilman. Then five days later -- apparently before receiving any of the information -- the feds withdrew the request.

The FBI requested documents from McDonald's tenure from 1995 to 2003 related to:

The Crazy Horse Too is the focus of an ongoing federal investigation and is owned by McDonald's friend, Rick Rizzolo. McDonald's former boss, Larry Scheffler, held part ownership of the company that once ran the city-owned Sportspark, and McDonald was slapped on the wrist by the now-defunct city ethics board and the state Ethics Commission for lobbying on behalf of his boss.

For his part, McDonald said, he has no problem with the FBI investigators "doing their jobs," especially since "I've always done everything by the book, and nothing illegal."

The FBI would not comment on the matter, but a source said the feds didn't get any of the records.

During his years on the council, McDonald weathered several ethics complaints while building a reputation as a constituent-oriented pol -- a self-described "pothole councilman."

McDonald lost his seat in 2003 to political neophyte Janet Moncrief in an election filled with innuendo and some mudslinging over McDonald's ties to high school buddy Michael Galardi -- the former strip-club mogul who has admitted to his role in a political corruption case involving four former Clark County commissioners.

But this FBI records request appears to be unrelated to that well-documented case, and instead focused on McDonald's other actions that have drawn criticism and complaints.

"There's a lot of misinformation out there about me. And they have to investigate everything the fullest," McDonald said about the FBI. "They're the best, and they have to be allowed to do their job."

Those waiting for the happiest mayor in the world -- nay, the universe -- to end speculation on his future political aspirations will just have to keep waiting.

During the first official fundraiser for OPAC -- Oscar's Political Action Committee -- on Tuesday, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman made his big announcement: He signed his second $100,000 contract to serve as spokesman for gin-maker Bombay Sapphire and is giving the money to the foundation supporting the planned Lou Ruvo Alzheimer's Institute.

Goodman told KLAS Channel 8 that he raised the money "based on my Bombay Sapphire drinking."

He raised another $250,000 for OPAC as the political action committee kicked off with a $1,000-per-person private reception downtown.

(The mayor also received another donation Tuesday morning -- a little metal thumb on a key chain, a reference to Goodman's comments on cutting off the thumbs of graffiti taggers. A source close to Goodman said North Las Vegas Mayor Michael Montandon was given the trinket at church Sunday as a gift to be passed on to Goodman.)

The mayor has pledged to use OPAC funds to promote the interests of Las Vegas, and possibly to supply a donation to one of his future campaigns -- although he's still mum on whether that might be a gubernatorial bid in 2006.

Insiders say that while speculation and rumors arise frequently, Goodman is unlikely to make a formal announcement about a run for governor before January -- or at least until his people do their own polling to see if the happiest mayor could be come the happiest governor.

Dan Kulin can be reached at 229-6436 or at dan@lasvegassun.com.