Friday, May 09, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

'Micro-terrorist'mailer causes flap in B.C.

A mailer referring to "micro-terrorists" in Boulder City has rattled the community and caused a stir in the already contentious race for mayor.

Dr. John Flint's four-page essay titled, "Freedom from Terrorism. Micro-Terrorists Blight Boulder City, Nevada," refers to a group of homeowners who keep trash in their yards and scream obscenities at their neighbors.

The problem is, Boulder City officials say Dr. John Flint is actually Wallace Ward. City officials said the letter, which flows under the heading "Public Service Election Information," might violate state election laws because the author used an alias.

Acknowledging it is unusual to respond to such a mailer, Boulder City officials said Thursday they felt obligated because of residents' sensitivity to the term "terrorist."

"Obviously he wants to cause havoc," said Boulder City Manager John Sullard. "Sometimes these things are best left unanswered, but we are getting call after call after call."

City Attorney Dave Olsen said the essay stems from a code enforcement problem on Ward's street that was resolved a year ago. The mailer claims a group of residents damage property and make personal threats to intimidate neighbors who might file complaints. He complains of "hyper students, some of them wearing long, black Columbine-type coats."

"Flouting laws at everyone else's expense, micro-terrorists today operate on local scales as Saddam Husseins and Osama bin-Ladens operated on national and global scales," the mailer reads.

Olsen said he believes the matter will be forwarded to the Secretary of State's Office to determine whether campaign practices were violated. Olsen added that the cost to mail fliers to all registered voters probably hovered around $3,000 to $4,000, leading him to believe another party was involved. He declined to elaborate.

"People are entitled to read whatever they want to read and, as long as it follows election laws, he can write whatever he wants to write," Olsen said.

Bill Smith, in a tight race for mayor against incumbent Robert Ferraro, took offense to Olsen's comments that the flier is politically motivated and someone else is involved. He believes city officials were insinuating Smith is somehow tied to the flier.

"I think that's aimed at me; there is no other person (in the race) the city is worried about," Smith said, adding that he has never heard of Flint or Ward. "I think it's just from a disgruntled citizen. My feeling is that's as deep as the letter goes."

Efforts to reach Ward were unsuccessful.