Congress:

Louder now: No on pork for mob museum

Stimulus money for Vegas project? Fuhgeddaboudit

By Lisa Mascaro (contact)

Thursday, Jan. 8, 2009 | 2 a.m.

The mob in Las Vegas

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Washington — The mob museum just can’t seem to get any love in this town.

Republican Sen. John Ensign on Wednesday became the latest Nevada lawmaker to say there’s no way Las Vegas’ proposed Mob Museum is going to get a dime from the federal economic stimulus package.

“It’s not going to happen — there’s no way it’s going to happen,” Ensign said. “If folks tried to put things like that in the bill, it could bring down the bill out of embarrassment.”

The mob museum could have become Nevada’s own “bridge to nowhere,” a toxic asset depicted by Republicans in Washington as a prime example of potentially wasteful government spending in the recovery package.

Except that the idea never gained much ground here. It arose only because Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, himself a former mob lawyer, suggested last month that if Washington wanted to boost the economy, it could kick in some bucks for the museum he is trying to develop.

Republicans saw Goodman’s comment as a chance for political fungo. They raised the idea in Washington so they could swat at it. Political Web sites picked it up and it became a sensation.

To be sure, cities all over the country have been putting together wish lists of projects that could create jobs and boost their economies. In Las Vegas, the hometown industry could benefit from the tourist traffic of a new museum — which is being developed, incidentally, with the FBI field office’s former special agent in charge.

Nevada’s lawmakers aren’t necessarily opposed to the museum — remodeling of an old post office where it is to be housed has been supported with federal funding in the past.

But Nevada Sen. Harry Reid, the majority leader, has made it clear there will be no pet projects, often called earmarks, in the stimulus package.

Democratic Rep. Dina Titus said funding the mob museum would not be her top choice for stimulating the Southern Nevada economy.

On Wednesday, Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley added her thoughts, saying in a statement: “While I am not opposed to the concept of a museum like this, I do not and will not support federal tax dollars being allocated in this stimulus package specifically for this project.”

No walk-around money for the wise guys, it seems, at least not this time around.

Discussion: 7 comments so far…

By acrosby85254

1/8/09 at 3:53 a.m.

Suggest removal

I know I'm in the minority but, I'm all for this museum. I would hope that there would be a wing on how the 'mob' used to treat customers with respect and as a asset, unlike today. Cue Archie Bunker...'Those were the days'.... and let the comments roll baby.....
By johnevegas

1/8/09 at 6:02 a.m.

Suggest removal

I'm for the museum, but not from a bailout.
By 2zero

1/8/09 at 8:01 a.m.

Suggest removal

I am for putting Oscar in a museum.

"Treating customers with respect" (LOL) talk to the prostitutes they turn out using gang rape and drugs. Dumb ases....
By jfnance32

1/8/09 at 9:02 a.m.

Suggest removal

For those who want the mob museum...instead of forcing our children and our children's to pay for the museum via deficit spending how about using private funds, like from your pockets, to build it and operate it.

I know it is a shocking request, but it has been done before.
By Future2012

1/8/09 at 12:04 p.m.

Suggest removal

"Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, himself a former mob lawyer, suggested last month that if Washington wanted to boost the economy, it could kick in some bucks for the museum he is trying to develop."

If Oscar want a legacy museum for his likeness to be in he should pay for it.

Oscar has been ripping off this twon long enough
By coolfire

1/20/09 at 10:41 a.m.

Suggest removal

Such a museum, a shrine to Organized Crime, with or without participation of FBI representation, and regardless of name modifications, would be a disgrace. Organized Crime is anathema to legal society and should not be so honored, regardless of its history in Las Vegas.