Sunday, October 26, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

POLITICAL NOTEBOOK: Subpoenas, polygraphs part of Moncrief probe

Councilwoman says she looks forward to resolving matter

State investigators are working with a grand jury to subpoena witnesses in their investigation of Councilwoman Janet Moncrief's 2003 campaign.

Jerry Hafen, supervisor of the Las Vegas office of the Division of Investigations, wouldn't name the individuals state investigators want to speak with. He did, however, confirm they had administered a polygraph test to former City Council candidate Peter "Chris" Christoff last week.

Christoff has accused Moncrief of violating campaign laws by paying for fliers sent out under his name critical of then-incumbent Michael McDonald and then not reporting the expenditures.

Christoff said questioning during his polygraph test centered on printer Jerry Wolkon, who Christoff alleges produced the fliers and acted as a go-between, delivering money for postage to Christoff from gaming figure Bob Stupak.

Stupak bankrolled Moncrief's campaign through unreported donations, Christoff and others allege.

"All they kept saying is `Did you receive money from Jerry Wolkon?' " Christoff said.

Another Moncrief supporter turned critic, Steve Miller, said he also was interviewed.

"The most interesting question was the first question," Miller said, " `Would I be willing to testify in a criminal proceeding against Janet?' I said yes."

Secretary of State Dean Heller called in early August for a full investigation of allegations Moncrief violated campaign finance laws.

Moncrief said Division of Investigations officials have not contacted her yet, but she looks forward to speaking with them and resolving the matter.

Prostitution proponent

In tough budget years, other states look to legalize gambling. Ken Green thinks Nevada should look to hookers.

Green, owner of the Chicken Ranch in Pahrump, said he thinks there could be $50 million to $100 million in revenue from Las Vegas-based brothels alone.

"Our business is a pittance compared to prostitution in Las Vegas," Green said in the first interview of his 22-year cathouse career. "I believe there is $500 million in business done illegally in Las Vegas every year."

Green said he's thankful Mayor Oscar Goodman began the public debate on legalizing prostitution. He said although street prostitution may never be eliminated, brothels would significantly reduce the market for unregulated, and often, unhealthy prostitutes.

Green disputes the notion street prostitution is the real problem in Las Vegas anyway.

"The prostitution you have is in the phone book," Green said, referring to the 100 pages of ads for outcall entertainers in the Yellow Pages.

Re-election no cruise

Sen. Ray Shaffer can say aloha (the hello version) to a potentially difficult re-election campaign next year.

Shaffer, R-North Las Vegas, has drawn a Democratic opponent, former Assemblyman John Lee, who is not afraid to make an issue out of Shaffer's travel to Hawaii on the eve of the final vote on the $836 million tax increase.

"There's a lot of time to go to Hawaii in your life," he said. "You wouldn't have seen John Lee on a cruise ship during those crucial moments."

Shaffer said he's more concerned right now with raising money for a race he expects to cost $400,000 than with any potential opponents. He also said he thinks voters will understand the Hawaii cruise.

"I believe that the people will respect me for putting my family first," Shaffer said. "My wife had made commitments for the trip six months in advance. I had already voted twice on tax plans and leaders told me they wouldn't need my vote to pass the legislation."

Lee said he is helped by name recognition from his unsuccessful statewide bid last year for controller, his family's roots in North Las Vegas, and his three Assembly terms in Carson City. Shaffer's party switch before this year's legislative session shouldn't hurt, he added.

Shaffer said his 20 years in office will be the difference, and that despite the district's significant voter registration edge for Democrats, he is not worried.

"I wasn't a die-hard Democrat and I'm not a die-hard Republican," Shaffer said. "Many Republicans voted for me when I was a Democrat."

Do-not-call list

Richard Ziser made significant inroads in various religious communities with his successful campaign to ban gay marriage in Nevada.

But some of the support he had received from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when he ran the Question 2 campaign could end up hurting his bid against U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, a Mormon, for Reid's Senate seat.

Ziser has reached out to Mormon church bishops to support his Senate bid using a detailed list the church had given him for his marriage initiative. Steve Fellows, bishop of the Willows Ward, is objecting, saying it's against church policy for Ziser to use for his political race the information supplied only for the initiative.

"I don't know why he contacted me, other than the fact that I'm a bishop in the church," Fellows said. "For him to use the data from Question 2, which I supported, for his own political aspirations, is wrong."

Ziser said he contacted only "people that I know personally."

"I am reaching out to discuss my campaign," he added.