Saturday, March 20, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

EDITORIAL: Good dad, bad mayor

Favoritism can go only so far

Mayor Goodman

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman wants to be a good dad. This is understandable, as all fathers want the best for their children.

In the past month or so, Mayor Goodman used his position as an elected official to host a cocktail party in Washington, D.C., to shill for his son Ross's private business. The mayor has also given his son city property to help the venture along. Last week it was revealed that Ross, an attorney just like his father, is now paid a $5,000 monthly retainer by a strip club. Even though the mayor was highly critical of the stip club before his son's financial "arrangement," now that the club owners are playing his son, he can't say anything about the club.

Oscar Goodman is such a good dad.

We can't blame him for wanting to give his son a little boost. But let's get serious. The mayor should stop being a good dad at the taxpayer's expense.

If Oscar Goodman wants to help his kids, he should either find a new job, make sure his "help" leaves no impression that it could be viewed as an official conflict of interest or other potential abuse of power ... or he should do so on his own dime.