Monday, April 11, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

POLITICAL NOTEBOOK: Play the Ward 6 game

All roads lead to Tony Sgro, Las Vegas' answer to Kevin Bacon

In this Nov. 13, 2001, file photo, attorney Tony Sgro, left, argues in favor of a gag order against former City Councilman Steve Miller and the Las Vegas Tribune. At right are attorneys Dowon Kang, Chris Rasmussen and Gus Flangas, who opposed the request. Photo by Gary Thompson.

When it comes to the Las Vegas City Council, attorney Tony Sgro has become the local version of Kevin Bacon.

A once-popular drinking game showed movie fans they could establish a Bacon tie with just about any other actor in six links or less.

Mary Gillins, who earned a spot in the June 7 general election with a second-place primary finish to Steve Ross, started the Ward 6 version of the game by reporting a $1,000 expenditure from her campaign to Sgro, a criminal defense attorney known for his work on capital murder and racketeering cases.

Why would Gillins, who works for the police union, give Sgro money?

His band, Capo Regime, played at her campaign kickoff. Sgro said Gillins previously worked as secretary to his law partner, Dean Patti, and that he regularly sees Gillins on the youth soccer circuit. He also notes his band is booked to play Palace Station and will perform its "Las Vegas Theme" during the city's centennial celebration on Fremont Street next month.

Sgro, who plays drums and piano, said he started playing music to pay his way through law school. He chuckled when asked to explain the name of his seven-person band: "It's a reflection of a tongue in cheek attitude with regard to my prosecutorial colleagues."

Sgro currently represents Crazy Horse Too boss Rick Rizzolo in a federal corruption probe expected to generate indictments.

And that's how you can link Sgro to City Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian.

Rizzolo is a personal friend of former Las Vegas Councilman Michael McDonald, and Sgro once represented McDonald in an unrelated case.

McDonald is now a shareholder in Southwest Strategies, a political consulting firm with more than a few links to city politics.

Southwest managed McDonald's unsuccessful re-election bid in 2003 and then worked on the recall effort that led to the ouster of McDonald's successor, Janet Moncrief. Tarkanian defeated Moncrief and Southwest's candidate, Vicki Quinn, in a special election earlier this year.

Here's a way you can get from Sgro back to Gillins, through Councilman Michael Mack.

Mack's most notable ethics trouble came from a June 2001 council vote denying car dealer John Staluppi a site for a Nissan dealership. It was later revealed Mack had taken a $60,000 loan from Staluppi rival Joe Scala, another car dealer. Sgro represented Staluppi in that case.

As a consultant for Southwest, Mack has his own ties to the Ward 6 race.

Southwest employee Catherine Schlesinger established a political action committee, Nevadans Against Domestic Violence, which spent $700 on a mailer criticizing Ross, Gillins opponent, for a 1991 domestic violence arrest.

And, it should be noted that Southwest, while no longer officially working on the race, initially consulted with Ross for his bid.

Southwest boss Billy Rogers said Schlesinger, a domestic violence victim, decided to establish the PAC on her own.

Maybe Capo Regime will be hired to play at a PAC fund-raiser in advance of the general.

Gibbons fund-raiser

Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., likes to coyly duck the question about whether he is definitely running for governor next year, despite the fact that he has a committee already at work for the cause.

But a new invitation to an April 29 fund-raiser at the home of Venetian CEO William Weidner reaches out to those who wish to plunk down $1,000 for a cocktail reception honoring "Jim Gibbons Republican Candidate for Governor."

Gibbons might just be the last one to announce his bid.

Gingrich, Rove to speak

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich will speak Thursday at the Silverton hotel as part of the Silverton Speaker Series.

The event starts at 8 p.m. at the casino, located off Interstate 15 at Blue Diamond Road.

Tickets are $30 and are available by calling 914-8557.

The Clark County Republican Party will be the last GOP group in the state to celebrate Lincoln Day (typically held around the time of the 16th president's birthday, Feb. 12). But the April 30 Lincoln Day Dinner at The Venetian has just about the most coveted special guest a local party can get.

President Bush's chief political adviser, Karl Rove, will headline the event. It features a VIP reception from 5:30 to 7 p.m. for $250 a person, with dinner to follow. The price for dinner only is $75 a person.

For information, call 258-9184.

Contact political reporter Erin Neff at 387-2906 or ENeff@reviewjournal.com.