Friday, Jan. 27, 2006 | 7:36 a.m.
Jon Ralston hosts the news discussion program Face to Face with Jon Ralston on Las Vegas ONE and also publishes the daily e-mail newsletter RalstonFlash.com. His column for the Las Vegas Sun appears Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. Ralston can be reached at 870-7997 or through e-mail at [email protected].
It's the reaction, stupid.
The acceptance of concert tickets by Nevada legislators does not rank as the most egregious sin by members of the Gang of 63, who previously have been exposed as eager takers of lobbyist favors to attend concerts or boxing matches.
But beyond the current media environment -- Abramoff, etc. -- the responses from the lawmakers caught accepting the free concert tickets from Ameriquest lobbyist Frankie Sue Del Papa has given the story what we in journalism call "legs." So while we are running with it, let's compile the Top Five Most Ridiculous Responses.
No. 5 -- A tie here between Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, who said a concert ticket "is not going to influence me one way or the other," and his lieutenant, John Oceguera, who declared, "People who know me would know I couldn't be influenced by two tickets to a concert."
Really, gentlemen? So what would it take to influence you then? Where is the bar set? A trip to Europe? Or perhaps just to Napa Valley?
No. 4 -- Assemblywoman Francis Allen and Assemblyman Scott Sibley tie here for their comments. Sibley said he wouldn't have taken the tickets "if I knew about the trouble (Ameriquest) was in" and Allen said the company "did some shady stuff" and doesn't want "to give the appearance of having any association with them."
So now we understand: It's perfectly fine to take tickets from a company and be associated with an interest asking for your vote, so long as they haven't been forced into a predatory lending settlement by the states. That is, you can sell your access so long as you sell it to someone who is -- or at least appears -- legit.
No. 3 -- Assembly Majority Leader Barbara Buckley: "Ameriquest never had any legislation before the Legislature. No one knew who they were. When Frankie Sue Del Papa calls you and offers the tickets, you think it is OK."
Really? Why, because she is a Democrat? Or a former attorney general? So your standard is that you take tickets from a company even though you know nothing about it if you know the person doing the giving? I am not sure about some of the rest of these folks, but Buckley is way too smart to believe that silliness.
No. 2 -- Sen. Bob Coffin: "There was no awareness by anyone that there even was a case going on against Ameriquest," he said. "I never met anyone from Ameriquest. They did not have any issues before us last session, and I am told they don't have any issues coming up. There was no perceived conditions that would make me refuse to take the tickets. Therefore, I see no reason to return the money."
So a national mortgage company couldn't possibly be affected by actions the Legislature could take? So did Coffin think they were offering him tickets because he is known as a party animal, someone you just must have with you at a Stones concert?
No. 1 -- Assemblyman Mo Denis, who took two Luis Miguel tickets: "I had committed to Frankie Sue (Del Papa), thinking they cost $20 to $30. As the only true Hispanic in the Legislature, I felt I had to attend a Hispanic concert."
It's hard to parse all the inanity here. He thought the tickets cost $20 to $30? Come on. The only true Hispanic? Now that is funny, a snide reference to the not full-blooded Coffin, who as you see above made sure that all types of Hispanics made idiotic comments. And the piece de resistance, that Denis felt compelled because of his Hispanic heritage to see Miguel.
Now Denis is usually a smart, reasonable guy. So maybe his campaign advisers persuaded him that saying something so stupendously stupid would be good spin. I sure hope so. If not, I will have to re-evaluate.
If so, I would advise Denis to offer those counselors a pink slip. The tone-deafness here is remarkable as they flap their tongues in a way that would make Mick Jagger blush.
Why did none of these folks say, "No thanks. This doesn't feel right." Or: "Most of my constituents don't have access to this kind of perk, so it's not right that I take it." Or: "I don't think they are doing this because they like my company; it just might have something to do with my title."
Actually, like many brouhahas before this one, it has something to do with business as usual. It's emblematic of what goes on all the time. And give journalists a chance to use Rolling Stone lyrics and provide them with monumentally cretinous quotes, and this one might have legs through November.
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