Six questions for Conrad Hafen, Chief Deputy Attorney General

Leila Navidi

Conrad Hafen, who oversees the Public Integrity Unit of the state attorney general’s office, stands in the entryway of the Sawyer State Office Building in Las Vegas last week. The unit is prosecuting Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki and College of Southern Nevada construction chief William “Bob Gilbert.

By Jeff German (contact)

Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2008 | 2 a.m.

Politically Motivated?

Krolicki’s flimsy web of partisan blame (12-5-2008)
Krolicki’s strange strategy gets results (11-26-2008)
Lt. Gov. Krolicki says he’s an indictment target (11-24-2008)
State goes after CSN official’s estate (10-28-2008)

Chief Deputy Attorney General Conrad Hafen has kept a higher profile lately prosecuting public officials. He has obtained criminal indictments against Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki and College of Southern Nevada construction chief William “Bob” Gilbert. The former Humboldt County prosecutor talked to the Sun about what it’s like overseeing the attorney general’s 5-year-old Public Integrity Unit.

What did you expect to find when you started looking into the conduct of public officials five years ago?

I’m not sure. The unit was created to address public misconduct. We’ve prosecuted numerous cases involving state employees and public officials. The first case I prosecuted was former (Las Vegas) Councilwoman Janet Moncrief. She was charged with five counts of filing false campaign reports. She ended up admitting to three counts as civil violations and was fined $15,000. We thought that was a fair resolution.

What’s the most blatant case of public corruption you’ve seen?

I’m not sure we can rank cases. They’re all important. The one thing we strive to do in the Public Integrity Unit is to make sure state employees and public officials are held accountable and that there is transparency in government.

But if you had to single out a case, what would it be?

Two years ago, we prosecuted nine people — three employees of the state Welfare Division in North Las Vegas and six family members — for creating false welfare accounts. The employees were setting it up to where family members could collect food stamps each month. The total figure came out to about $40,000. Everyone ended up pleading guilty.

Where do the Krolicki and Gilbert cases rank?

I don’t want to discuss the Krolicki case. In terms of money, the Gilbert case ranks as one of the bigger cases we’ve done. Thousands of dollars were involved.

Why do public officials betray the public’s trust?

I don’t have an answer for that. Based on my experience there are good people who work in government in this state. They are conscientious, and they do their jobs. Unfortunately, as with everything else, you have individuals who choose to violate laws.

Is it more difficult prosecuting public officials than average street criminals?

No. We expect everybody to abide by our laws. As a prosecutor, I strive to apply the same standards to everybody. People need to be held accountable for their crimes regardless of their status.

Discussion: 3 comments so far…

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By letjusticeprevail

Dec. 24, 2008

7:04 a.m.

Suggest removal

"I strive to apply the same standards to everybody. People need to be held accountable for their crimes regardless of their status." Sounds good on paper, but not true in reality.
By Future2012

Dec. 24, 2008

8:32 a.m.

Suggest removal

So the LV Sun has a Hero piece on DEMOCRAT Chief Deputy Attorney General Conrad Hafen who oversees the Public Integrity Unit and is the Lead Prosecutor against Brian Krolicki.

This furthers the AGs effort to put the trial in the public long before the court room trial in 2010.

When asked to compare the Krolicki and Gilbert cases rank?

Hafen admitted that money was not the issue for the Krolicki case. Hafen also said that Unfortunately, as with everything else, you have individuals who choose to violate laws. Hafen is making the so called "Willful" attack. The AG Office is holding a Public Trial without a jury.

The AG Office has also compromised grand jury secrecy.

Every leading Democrat in the State that testify in grand jury secrecy has opened up to the newspaper or the office of the Democratic AG gave out the information.

Now they are leaked the knowledge that there are yellow stickies. So much for the rumored destruction of records

But unfortunately for the Democrats Public Trial - they have not made a case.

Deputy Treasurer Janice Wright started to do yellow stickies on the bills to say Is this what you want me to pay from this off-line account? she testified. I noticed on all your invoices there are stickies, a juror said.

When Democrat Kate Marshall took over, Deputy Treasurer Janice Wright told the new treasurer about what had been going on, which she thought was not illegal.

Democrat Kate Marshall "said, because she was an attorney, this is wrong, this is not legal and you can't do that," Wright said.

Because she was an attorney !!!! -- Democrat Kate Marshall is not AG she is the State Treasurer. Was Democrat Kate Marshall qualified to be a State Treasurer?

So the professional Deputy Treasurer Janice Wright thought that it was not illegal. This is the professional State employee that stays though all the political administrations that come and go.

This was orchestrated by DEMOCRAT Harry Reid to demanding DEMOCRAT Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto and DEMOCRAT Lead Prosecutor Conrad Hafen to abuse their exercise of selective prosecutorial discretion.

Perhaps if DEMOCRAT Lead Prosecutor Conrad Hafen indicated that the legislative audit performed by DEMOCRAT Sheila Leslie on the $8 million in returned from other states felons bad debt illegally written off by the AGs office - is the basis for criminal charges.

Friday DEMOCRAT Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto stood shoulder to shoulder with confessed crook and lobbyist Bob Loux.
By vilate

Dec. 24, 2008

9:27 a.m.

Suggest removal

The residents of Humboldt County turned him out when he ran for district attorney.

A few screws loose. Chip on his shoulder. Vindictive. Sore loser. Religious zealot.

Not the sort of person who should be allowed to do what he does.