Ethics Commission hearing for North Las Vegas mayor postponed

By Aida Ahmed

Published Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011 | 10:27 a.m.

Updated Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011 | 6:08 p.m.

A hearing to determine whether North Las Vegas Mayor Shari Buck violated ethics laws by her involvement in a contested City Council election has been postponed.

The hearing, originally set for today, was continued after Buck’s lawyer requested time to file a motion to end the case, said Caren Jenkins, executive director of the Nevada Commission on Ethics.

Jacob Reynolds, Buck’s attorney, said there is no evidence Buck violated ethics laws, and none of her actions would constitute willful violations.

"She’s not liable of what they are accusing her of," said Reynolds. "There’s not much there."

The commission plans to consider the motion next month.

The hearing before the commission was initiated by North Las Vegas resident Scott Sauer, who filed a request for on opinion July 31 regarding possible conflict of interest violations during a meeting about a proposed special election in the Ward 4 council race.

The June 7 election between Richard Cherchio and Wade Wagner was decided by a single vote and was challenged after it was discovered that one illegal vote had been cast.

The request for opinion asserts that the mayor failed to fully disclose the level of her involvement in Wagner’s campaign when she abstained from a June 15 vote regarding a special election. (The election was never held and Wagner was subsequently declared the winner.)

Buck disclosed that a family member was a paid employee of Wagner’s campaign, but not that she had personally campaigned for Wagner.

Sauer alleged that Buck’s involvement included the use of her office and title, including campaign ads in which she supported Wagner.

He also accused the mayor of violating ethics laws by attempting to influence and direct the discussion on an item she abstained from.

At the start of a meeting to decide whether to hold a special election, Buck said, “I have grave concerns that the direction this council has chosen to go in is not only wrong but is illegal.”

The mayor told the Sun last week that she is confident she will be cleared by the commission.

“I’m looking forward to get my side of the story out,” said Buck, who alleges the accusations are politically driven and part of a failed effort to recall her from office.