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Clark County Commissioner Steve Sisolak leaves a news conference outside Metro Police Headquarters Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. Sisolak said he has filed a criminal complaint against his former girlfriend and former Henderson Councilwoman Kathleen Vermillion alleging that she tried to extort $3.9 million from him.
Published Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012 | 3:19 p.m.
Updated Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012 | 5:31 p.m.
Vermillion appears on Face to Face
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Exclusive interview with Kathleen Vermillion on Face to Face with Jon Ralston, Jan. 25, 2012.
Related document
Less than a week after Kathleen Vermillion's 15-year-old daughter was videotaped calling Clark County Commissioner Steve Sisolak “creepy,” and a lawsuit alleged that Sisolak had "improper and secretive” intentions toward her, the teenager says the allegations are false, her father said Wednesday.
The statement by Burt Boutin, Vermillion's ex-husband, brought yet another wrinkle to the drama playing out between two high-profile figures in local government — Sisolak, the commissioner, and Vermillion, who resigned as a member of the Henderson City Council only to face accusations that she mishandled finances at the homeless teen charity that she founded 12 years ago.
Vermillion reacted to the latest news in the growing legal melodrama by saying she wished she hadn't allowed her daughter to be videotaped making insinuations that Sisolak had acted improperly toward her.
There were still other developments Wednesday: the revelation that Sisolak secretly recorded a meeting Sunday with Vermillion's lawyer, Rob Martin, and Martin's public relations adviser, Mark Fierro. Sources say that on that video, Martin or Fierro can be heard saying that they would "have a hard time convincing a jury to give (Vermillion) any money."
And when the two ask Sisolak for $3.9 million to make Vermillion's lawsuit go away, it is pointed out that the family of Trevon Cole, who was shot and killed by a Metro police officer in 2010, only received $1.7 million in a settlement.
The source said Fierro responded to that by saying Cole was a "faceless, nameless individual."
In his statement, ex-husband Boutin speculated that his daughter was coaxed to appear in the video as part of a "desperate move" by his ex-wife and her advisers to embarrass Sisolak. "My daughter thought she was helping her mother and did not realize the harm it would cause,” Boutin said.
Boutin said Sisolak, who had a five-year relationship with Vermillion until they broke up in October, "acted as a gentleman to both of my children and to me. I ask that you respect the privacy of my children and me.”
Sisolak applauded Boutin for coming forward and said, “I’m disappointed anyone would put a 15-year-old young lady in this position. My heart goes out to (the teen) and I hope people give them the privacy they ask. I hope Vermillion gets the help she needs.”
He added that Boutin’s statement has been turned over to Metro Police investigators.
After talking to her daughter late Wednesday afternoon, Vermillion said her daughter admitted feeling "pressured" to do the video by Martin and Fierro. Even so, Vermillion added, the teenager says everything she said is authentic and she was not coached to say certain things.
Vermillion said "it was such a huge mistake" to give verbal permission to Fierro or Martin to release her daughter's name and the video to the media. Vermillion said her daughter screamed and cried out of stress after being told Wednesday of her father's remarks, telling her mother "I don't want to be a part of this anymore!"
"If I knew it was going to be like this, I would have never subjected her or myself to any of this," Vermillion said.
Wednesday's developments could undermine much of the lawsuit filed by Kathleen Vermillion against Sisolak and Clark County alleging defamation and invasion of privacy. Vermillion dated Sisolak five years before they broke up in October. She is also the founder of the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth.
To see how it got to this point, you need to go back to Friday, when Vermillion filed a lawsuit alleging Sisolak and Clark County staff shared the results of her private drug test with others. It was in that lawsuit where Vermillion claimed Sisolak had an “improper and secretive” relationship with the teenager.
The suit came one day after media reports that Arash Ghafoori, executive director of the Partnership for Homeless Youth, had asked the Nevada attorney general to investigate the charity’s operations and handling of money. He alleged Vermillion committed fraud and improperly transferred money between two charities to pay her salary.
After Sisolak met with Fierro and Martin on Sunday, he filed a police report alleging criminal extortion by Vermillion, Martin and Fierro.
Sisolak told reporters Monday morning that at the meeting, which he audio-recorded, Martin and Fierro played an edited video of Vermillion’s daughter saying Sisolak took her to Victoria’s Secret, sent her text messages at night and gave her gifts.
Then Fierro and Martin asked for $3.9 million to, as Sisolak put it, “make it all go away.”
Instead, Sisolak filed the criminal extortion police report, and a few hours later Fierro and Martin held a news conference and showed some of the videotape to reporters.
Boutin’s statement Wednesday followed other revelations in the highly personal, highly public dispute. KSNV Channel 3 revealed Tuesday night that Sisolak was not the only person to know about Vermillion’s drug test results. The chairman of her charity’s board sent an email sent to 16 people talking about the results, saying Vermillion had to be given the chance to defend herself.
One point important in the matter is the difference in how Sisolak defines the Sunday meeting versus Fierro and Martin’s definition.
Fierro and Martin have publicly said the meeting was a “settlement conference,” while Sisolak said it was to discuss an upcoming news conference Fierro and Martin had planned. It’s not a crime to ask for money to avoid an expensive legal battle at a settlement conference; if not a settlement conference, extortion allegations, like the one made by Sisolak, might result. (The Sun received emails from Vermillion Friday and Saturday saying a news conference was being planned for following Monday or Tuesday.)
Vermillion was not at the meeting. That’s an important point, because although she was present during the videotaping of her daughter, her absence at the meeting might free her from liability if criminal extortion charges are sought.
In an interview Tuesday, Vermillion told the Sun that she was likely going to step aside from her position as head of the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth. She said the organization received $27,000 in requests for refunds from donors one day after news broke that state prosecutors had been asked to look into how the Partnership handled its money.
“And now it’s just mounting and mounting and mounting,” she had said. “At the end of the day, nobody won. (My daughter) is hurt. Half the board members have left.”
Daughter like mother. Vermillion's allegations are just a deflection of the really issue, her embezzlement, fraud and miss appropriation of funds from the city of Henderson and the charity in which she runs.
At least the homeless youth Board of Directors did the right thing and exposed her on the financials.
She sounds like a person with a drug problem.
Let's hope Vermillion gets the help she so clearly needs.
Why didn't Sisolak do anything to the woman firefighter that threatened him on Facebook?
My real world observation is that most of the judges in Eighth District Family Court, especially the women judges, will look the other way, in deciding custody issues, when the mother is a middle class crazy, a middle class druggie or both. The mom will end up with primary custody if she wants it, and her certifiably-nuts-behavior will then be taught to her children as 'unthinking' and 'acceptable' behavior when they grow up.
My own ex-daughter in law committed a B&E at our house, standing over us while we were still asleep in bed at 6AM. She was ranting and raving hysterically about something my son did to tick her off. Metro could not be bothered to show up in a timely way, so after about an hour of trying to remove this psycho from our house, she left of her own volition. If my ex-daughter in law had a gun or a knife, would we be dead?
Is that woman going to be teaching my two granddaughters that it is acceptable behave in the same way? According to one "still sitting" woman judge at the Eight District Family Court she (the judge) cannot get involved in protecting the senior citizen parents or the children of parties involved in divorce cases, when the conduct is "ordinary overwhelming anger that she hears about every day".
This retraction by Mr. Boutin is just the sort of liability avoidance tool which non-custodial dads apparently need to learn as their wacko ex-wives train the kids to be psycho commandos by age 15.
My granddaughters are 5 and 2. Beginning 10 years from now, do I have to worry about them trying to kill me, because an Eight District Court Judge, used to dealing with wacko women, doesn't think about what the wacko moms teach their young daughters?
Do I have to worry about my wacko ex-daughter in law teaching my granddaughters to make false accusations gratuitously, or to get a new video game, lap top or fancy cel phone?
Do I have to worry about my wacko ex-daughter in law teaching my grandchildren that it's OK to break and enter, or brandish a weapon at a family member, "If you're angry in an ordinary way"?
Thanks to the Boutin family for this important lesson in the reality of domestic relations law.
The keyword for this nonsense is "Ex" in both cases. The father has something to gain if he goes for custody which is soon to happen. I am not so sure Sleazolak is "innocent" either. He might have been in the early "grooming" stages of his seduction. In any event, a child should not be used as a pawn by adults, no matter what their disputes are!
rabmag.....
You're kidding right? They are exes because they finally wised-up to what a complete psycho Kathleen is. Under NO circumstances should a mom use her daughter to make false accusations.
Typical scorned woman. Thinking of padding her pocketbook. Good luck getting another man!
Good looking women are always high maintenance, but this girl is going wayyy too far. Good Luck Sisolak.
I hope that if she is on drugs somebody stops being in denial and gets her where she needs to be. I had to deal with my husband's daughter for years, she was clearly on drugs, stealing everybody's money, dealing drugs and who knows what else, and all her family kept being in denial and defending her and believing all her lies. She finally got arrested and I am grateful for that, I finally got some peace!
You always have to look at the timeliness of the accusations. Does it not raise a red flag that the daughter only comes out and makes these accusations after this whole mess unfolds?
If a mother was truly concerned for the well being of her own daughter, wouldn't you think that she would have ended the relationship long ago and reported the incident(s) to the authorities? Isn't that what most responsible parents would do? Isn't what a parent in her right mind would do?
This is truly pathetic. I can tell you without a doubt this stunt is going to hurt her career even more than it is already. When you start using your own family members as weapons against your foes, making insinuations of sexual improprieties toward them, you have better be right. This is often seen in custody cases. However, if it is proved that you are fabricating such allegations, the subsequent damage is going to come back to haunt you.
The lesson in all of this is... if you've done wrong, sometimes you just have to take your lumps and hope to salvage whatever integrity you may have left. Trying to bring down everyone around you, including your own daughter, in an effort to save yourself is incredibly selfish. It just might end up leaving you with nothing. Including those that you need the most.
Sisolak is correct going on the offensive immediately following a false accusation. In 1991, my female mayoral opponent also made a false and defamatory accusation against me. I foolishly waited until after I lost the election to take legal action against her. My lawsuit took 10 years to make it to the Nevada Supreme Court where a ruling was issued stating: (1) she "acted with actual malice," and (2) she acted with "reckless disregard for the truth." These two requirements are the legal basis under Sullivan vs. New York Times for a public official to sue someone for libel or defamation. Here is the MILLER vs. JONES decision: http://stevemiller4lasvegas.com/supreme1....
It's the case law precedent for a defamation action Sisolak should most certainly file.
"If I knew it was going to be like this, I would have never subjected her or myself to any of this," Vermillion said."
"But perhaps the desire of the thing called fame will torment thee." -- Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, Roman Emperor, 2nd Century A.C.E.
Time to resign Sisolak. Be done with it and save what remaining dignity you have.
Icky. Personal business done in public is bad news for all involved.
I must acknowledge Mr. Boutin for doing the right thing. Being a parent is leading by example... You gave your daughter a gift by coming forward with the truth and setting her free of the guilt she has felt...
Ms. Vermillion your actions have been corrupt, immoral, and disgusting... STOP this insanity get medical help and save what ever is salvageable in your relationship with your daughter and son.
There should be strict formal consequences from the State bar of Nevada handed down to Ms. Vermillion's attorney Robert Martin.. Your actions were criminal with minor...
Public relations specialist Mark Fierro you should be ran out of town... You took Ms. Vermillion's daughter and manipulating her to lie for your own personal and financial benefits with no regards to the long term effect this will have on this young lady.... Your actions are disgraceful...
Mr. Sisolak I'm sorry you and your family have been put through all this... You have my support along with so many others...
The next piece of information is the amount of homeless teen charity dollars 'mishandled', more properly understood as 'missing'.
Creating a charity organization can net the Founder a lot of soft cash, easy money that treks out the back door and shows up in the form of a new car with occasional trips to Hawaii. One of the principal reasons why charities will never be able to take care of the poor is that they take such good care of their Founders and Executives.
The next time you drive by a big church with a large white steeple and red brick walls all around, count the number of people each of those bricks fed and it will be clear why religion is no answer to taking care of the poor.
The main basis for this woman's alleged "woman scorned" vendetta against Sisolak should have been his alleged relationship with her daughter, IF it was true, NOT the results of her drug test being made public. Seems HER own agenda was more important than her daughter.
Things said in the heat of a breakup are, many times not heartfelt, they are just voiced to inflict maximum hurt to the other party. We need to remember that that's what's going on here. Nothing more. It's obvious that these two no longer like each other. Sisolak divulged the drug results to make her look bad. She filed the lawsuit as a result. I feel sorry for the kids, they didn't ask for this. Hopefully the parties will stop playing this out in public.
I'd venture to say that most any male subjected to the family courts could tell stories about the bias shown them.
The reason "accusations", rather than facts, are used is because this tactic usually works.
Of course Vermillion's agenda was more important to her than her screaming and crying out of stress daughter's well being.
For Vermillion to pretend that she didn't know what would ensue, once she embarked on this course, is her moving beyond being disingenuous.
"Time to resign Sisolak."
gaskin -- why? He's handling this much better than his opponents.
"One of the principal reasons why charities will never be able to take care of the poor is that they take such good care of their Founders and Executives."
SunJon -- too true. But this is nothing new. Years ago Goodwill was in the news with its executives' perqs, including a private jet, executive dining room, all that. Mankind seems to have a fatal flaw -- a good idea gets institutionalized then messed up, starting with the inner circle feathering their own nests. Orwell's "Animal Farm" is instructive on that point.
"The main basis for this woman's alleged "woman scorned" vendetta against Sisolak should have been his alleged relationship with her daughter, IF it was true..."
Det_Munch -- I'm going to default to dad on this one. Few dads aren't fiercely protective of their daughters, especially a teenager when any male comes sniffing around. If anything, this drama is instructive why every American man everywhere needs to stay completely away from any situation leaving him alone with any young girl.
"I'd venture to say that most any male subjected to the family courts could tell stories about the bias shown them."
davestovall -- seems you posted from experience. Although the numbers show mothers are the primary abusers and sometimes killers of their children, and a California grand jury reported natural fathers are the least likely of ANYBODY to abuse their children, and despite the Constitutional promise of equality, the courts still hand them over to moms' complete control. You can thank refusal to hold courts accountable and our present VP Biden for that.
"...but a little girl's nod, if it should so happen, will move him..." -- "Discourses of Epictetus," Arrian c. 108 A.C.E.
What Vermillion said..."she wished she hadn't allowed her daughter to be videotaped making insinuations that Sisolak had acted improperly toward her" and what she meant...had this vile strategy worked I wouldn't have had a problem with it at all. What a poor excuse for a mother.
wtk2,
When I saw her physical appearance last night on the interview, I thought the same thing. Her bloated face shows the need for some serious substance abuse treatment.
KillerB,
"If I knew it was going to be like this, I would have never subjected her or myself to any of this," Vermillion said."
It's only crazy to her that her crazy idea did not work and now everyone sees how crazy she really is. Crazy, huh?
BTW, fellow posters, have you noticed that almost NO ONE is mentioning the large amount of money that was taken and used by her in ways otherwise unthinkable. You work for a charity whose function is to good in the community. That charity raises money to make a difference in the lives of homeless youth. Then you decide those funds, designated by others expressly to help homeless youth, would be better used to serve you and your personal good (or personal habits, as the case may be).
I am guessing the most in our community would agree that the intended recipients of the charity certainly deserve better than to use her words "a card carrying narcissist" who would rather use the money on HERself.
Above all, let's not forget the potential criminal angle on the use/misuse/misappropriation of those funds...
Those of you who are sick of this story, be reminded that this story has the potential of being in the spotlight for more than just a day or two.
This is disgusting.
Sisolak is a politician, so of course he's a liar, and everything he says should be taken with a grain of salt.
This Vermillian lady either has a rich, white lady, drug addiction to pain medication, or it escalated and she's moved on to her son's stash. That of course is just a side note to the real problem...the high likelihood of her being a gold-digging pig, and willing to do anything to get that cash. Great example for your kids, lady.
The ex-husband's comments are tainted too. I doubt he and Vermillion are best friends, and I'm sure there are issues with their relationship.
The poor 15 year old girl, though. That's a tough age. Old enough to vaguely understand what's going on, and how to be manipulative, but still naive enough to not understand the consequences of these types of lies. Leave her out of it. Both the media and the adults involved.
This whole thing is stupid drama that's distracting from the REAL issues in this city/state.
improveLV,
The motivation behind the two former spouses seem to be at the heart of the matter. Mr. Boutin is looking out for his daughter and her well being. Meanwhile, the former Mrs. Boutin is more concerned that the results of her failed drug test got out.
Quite simply;
He is looking out for another person (his daughter), and she is looking out only for herself and covering up her obvious "health issues".
improveLV,
If you still have doubts as to her motivation in all of this, I'll give 3.9 million reasons why she did what she did...
Like I said, I don't doubt that Vermillion is simply after that "settlement" money. BUT...pretty much every other adult involved has credibility issues when it comes to this story.
You can't deny that an ex-husband reporting something that disputes an ex-wife's story is going to be suspect.
I'm making these comments as a media consumer. I wouldn't be surprised if other people that have commented on this, and previous, articles have some relationship with the parties involved. But clearly the goal in all this is to either smear or salvage the public perception of one or more of the parties. I'm saying that the best way to do that is to either tell the full truth or just shut the f*** up, because people/voters are going to be very sensitive to lies and half-truths. Also, involving these kids is just gross.
Ok, so she embezzled money from her charity, got caught, failed a drug test, tried to extort millions from her ex, then added her 15 year old daughter into the mix.
And people are blaming the guy? How?
Let me throw something else out there. If she honestly believed that her minor daughter had some inappropriate relationship with an adult, or if she was insinuating or alluding to something of a sexual nature, and she then failed to report it to the authorities immediately, shouldn't she be brought up on charges of child endangerment?
At that point the authorities simply take over, whether she wanted them to or not. It's the law. However, the reason why this has not happened is quite simply... the accusations were not true.
In that case Sisolak should be pursuing a complaint for defamation of character or slander. It's one thing to criticize someone publicly. It's altogether another thing to make reckless accusations of a criminal nature. Accusations such as those are extremely damaging even when not true. People who so carelessly engage in those tactics should be held accountable.