Shortly after taking $10,000 from Triple Five Nevada Development Corp. -- the Nevada development arm of the company mentioned in the ongoing political corruption trial as having bribed former Clark County Commissioner Erin Kenny -- Henderson Mayor Jim Gibson voted in favor of a zoning change for one of the company's properties.

In its most pointed attack so far on Gibson's financial ties, the campaign of state Sen. Dina Titus on Friday mentioned this and other donations and votes in accusing Gibson of "exemplifying 'pay to play' in local government."

Gibson and Titus, D-Las Vegas, are Democrats vying for their party's gubernatorial nomination.

On Thursday, Kenny testified in federal court that she accepted $3,000 a month from Canadian-based Triple Five Development Corp. for at least three years after she backed the company's proposal to build a casino in Spring Valley. Triple Five officials called the allegations baseless and said Kenny is not credible.

Titus catalogued 14 instances in which Gibson took a contribution from a corporation shortly before it had business before the Henderson City Council. In each case, Gibson voted in favor of what the corporation wanted, in actions that included sales of city lands, zoning changes, development approvals and appointments.

"It's just pay to play, and although it is not illegal, it should be," Titus said. "It reinforces the public's perception of impropriety in government."

Gibson on Friday agreed to return the money to Triple Five but fired back hard at Titus.

"At the time my campaign accepted money from Triple Five Corporation, I had absolutely no knowledge of any alleged improprieties involving the corporation or any of its members," Gibson said in a statement.

"However, for Dina Titus to suggest in any way that my votes on the Henderson City Council have been related to anything other than the best interests of the people of Henderson is unconscionable and totally false," Gibson added.

"My vote has never been, is not and never will be for sale. I will match my record on ethics against that of Dina Titus anytime."

Titus stopped short of alleging that Gibson's votes were influenced by the donations.

"I'm not going to accuse him of taking a bribe," she said. "I'm just saying there is an appearance of impropriety. We need to clean up government, and if they (the public) believe votes are for sale, we're never going to do it."

The Triple Five donation to Gibson was made in December. In February, he supported a zone change to allow mixed-use commercial and residential development on 24 acres at Sunridge Heights Parkway and Pecos Ridge Parkway.

On Dec. 14, Gibson received $150,000 in contributions in a single day from Anthony Marnell and corporate entities related to him, such as Aces High Management, AAM III Enterprises, M Holdings and Marnell Architecture, all of which have the same address, according to Gibson's campaign finance report.

In Nevada state races, each individual or entity can contribute $5,000 for the primary and $5,000 in the general election.

Just weeks after accepting the bundle of donations from Marnell, Gibson appointed him to the board of directors of the Henderson Convention Center.

Similarly, in November and December, Gibson received several $5,000 contributions from various companies with "Picerne" in their names; in January and February, he supported a zone change and an apartment-complex approval sought by Picerne Development Corp. at the council.

As for Titus, Gibson reiterated charges that she had accepted a ticket to a Celine Dion concert from gaming interests and refused to pay for it and refused to support an ethics proposal that came before her Senate committee last year.

"I suggest the senator inspect her glasshouse carefully before throwing any more stones," Gibson said.

Titus said the Dion performance was at an event at Caesars Palace, similar to the openings of schools and other projects she attends, not a concert for which tickets were sold. She said she has supported numerous ethics bills over the years, including some last year, but chose not to support the one in question in the interests of picking her battles.

"The facts are not on his side," Titus said of Gibson.