Saturday, April 17, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Mayor's witness list includes executive director of ethics panel

Mayor Oscar Goodman's witness list for next month's ethics hearing indicates he'd still like to shed light on the shadowy motives and figures he claims are driving the charges against him.

Included among 17 potential witness are the executive director of the Nevada Commission on Ethics, whom the mayor has accused of pursuing a political agenda against him, and ethics watchdog Robert Rose, who filed the complaint against Goodman.

Goodman, a defense attorney who intends to represent himself before the commission, indicated Rose would be questioned as "to whom assisted him in the preparation of" his amended ethics complaint.

In that complaint Rose alleged Goodman violated the state ethics code by using his name and position to influence others to attend a Jan. 22 gathering promoting his son's company, iPolitix. The company is a venture among mayoral son Ross Goodman, Councilman Michael Mack and iMedia International Inc.

A Nevada Ethics Commission panel determined on April 2 there is enough evidence to move forward with a full hearing May 12 and 13 on those allegations. Ethics Commission Executive Director Stacy Jennings also asked the full commission to determine whether Goodman violated state law by accepting and using a Cadillac, acting as pitchman for Bombay Sapphire gin and endorsing a contest for Jane Magazine.

Rose, 77, said he's aware allegations have "floated out there" that his complaint is intended to tarnish the mayor's reputation and keep him out of the 2006 governor's race.

"That's the first thing I'd figure he'd think," Rose said. "Why should anybody assist me? I've been doing this for a couple, three years. ... If I feel as though I should file an ethics complaint, I do. And if that's what he (Goodman) wants to ask me, that's good because I've got a big fat answer and it's the truth. I'm from the old school."

Goodman couldn't be reached for comment on Friday.

Jennings, whom Goodman wants to question about the "conduct of her ethics investigation," said it's unlikely she or Rose will testify.

The guidelines for state ethics proceedings require only people with firsthand knowledge of the facts or events be allowed to testify. The Ethics Commission denied the only previous attempt to put Jennings on the stand.

The Ethics Commission is drafting a letter asking Goodman to explain why he believes Jennings and Rose have firsthand knowledge of the case, Jennings said.

"I think that anyone would be hard-pressed to say I have personal knowledge of anything the mayor did," Jennings said. "I don't know the mayor."

Goodman has accused Jennings of working at the behest of political commentator Jon Ralston, a longtime critic of the mayor. Jennings, who in 1997 worked as a research analyst for a Legislative committee chaired by likely gubernatorial candidate Richard Perkins, denied that her investigation is politically motivated.

"He's trying to make me the issue," she said. "Why? Because there are allegations he's violated state law. ... I am not the issue. I'm just someone sitting in Carson City, Nevada, doing my job."

One political observer said the conspiracy won't play well with the public or the Ethics Commission.

"This is not like a courtroom," the observer noted. "This is entirely different situation he's in and confusing the situation with these accusations will ultimately not serve him well."

Goodman's witness list also includes a number of city employees: City Manager Doug Selby; Deputy City Manager Betsy Fretwell; city Finance Director Mark Vincent; his chief of staff, Stephanie Boixo; his spokeswoman, Elaine Sanchez; and two city marshals who were part of the mayor's security detail in 2002, Scott Barney and Neil Ferguson.

On Wednesday, the Ethics Commission subpoenaed Selby, Vincent, Boixo and Sanchez to testify. Communications staffers David Riggleman and Diana Paul were also subpoenaed by the state but left off Goodman's list.

The mayor also lists his son, Ross, Councilman Michael Mack and two iMedia executives, David MacEachern and Scott Kapp, as witnesses who will discuss either the iPolitix reception or the company.

Goodman's wife, Carolyn, a founder and board member at the private Meadows School, will testify regarding the $50,000 the school received from the mayor's Bombay Sapphire endorsement contract. And Larry Ruvo, the executive with Southern Nevada Wine & Spirits who concocted the mayor's Bombay Sapphire endorsement deal, also will testify about the pact.