Editorial: Corruption trial under way

Tuesday, March 14, 2006 | 7:12 a.m.

Politicians often get treated like they are royalty or, better yet, star athletes. Further, in the case of politicians, there is a stream of cronies, lobbyists and business executives who will flatter them to no end. There are times that these individuals are willing to go beyond flattery and do whatever it takes to get favorable treatment from politicians. Sometimes that results in bribes being offered in order to get the politician to steer business his way or to take action that would hurt a competitor.

Honorable elected officials know where to draw the line and don't allow themselves to get taken in by such unethical and illegal overtures. There are politicians, however, who are so motivated by greed and have such a lust for power that they are willing to cross the line and sully their offices - and stoke public cynicism in government.

A political corruption trial, which is scheduled to begin today in federal court in Las Vegas, will decide whether some prominent politicians from here broke the law and received bribes from Michael Galardi, a topless club owner. Galardi himself and former Clark County Commissioner Erin Kenny, who already has pleaded guilty, are expected to be witnesses for the government. Former County Commissioner Dario Herrera and current County Commissioner Mary Kincaid-Chauncey have pleaded not guilty and their attorneys have attacked the government's case, seeking to cast doubt about the credibility of the witnesses.

Several in-depth stories in Sunday's Las Vegas Sun laid out much of the evidence that prosecutors have assembled against the defendants, including previously secret FBI reports. Ultimately, though, it will be up to a jury to determine whether the government can prove its case that Herrera and Kincaid-Chauncey in fact took bribes and broke any laws. It is a case that is certain to capture the public's attention - and could go a long way, depending on the trial's outcome, in further shaping the public's perception of government.