CARSON CITY -- Republican political consultant Chuck Muth was so angry at Assemblywoman Francis Allen, R-Las Vegas, for accepting tickets to a Rolling Stones concert last fall that he recently commissioned a poll to find out if she could be defeated in a primary.

The poll of 480 registered voters in District 4 found that 71 percent would prefer voting for someone else because of Allen's decision to take free Rolling Stones tickets.

"Our poll shows the tickets could have an effect on the election," said Muth, who operates Citizen Outreach in Carson City. "I don't think the tickets scandal is an issue that by itself will cause people to switch and vote for someone else. If you mix it with other issues, it could be the straw that breaks the camel's back."

But he noted voters were asked in his poll only if they were inclined to support someone else because Allen took Stones tickets. He added he also sees Allen as a liberal representing a conservative district who is too chummy with Democrats such as Assembly Majority Leader Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas.

Muth may be guilty of wishful thinking. So far no candidates have emerged publicly to challenge any of the legislators who took tickets from Ameriquest -- a national mortgage company fined $325 million for predatory lending practices -- to attend Rolling Stones or Luis Miguel concerts. Tickets to the concerts cost more than $300 each.

An official challenger has not even appeared to face Assemblyman Scott Sibley, R-Henderson. He not only took Rolling Stones and Luis Miguel tickets, but also was hit with a $100,000 judgment on March 15 by a jury for abusing his power as a process server in taking a home from a Lake Las Vegas couple.

Las Vegas lawyer Ryan Works said it would be useless to challenge Sibley.

"I have been approached to run against him, but it doesn't seem practical," he said. "The Rolling Stones ticket issue seems not to have much teeth. It has gone by the wayside."

Another Southern Nevada lawyer, Greg Whicker, is confident he will challenge Sibley in the Republican primary, but he has not yet made a final decision. Candidates begin filing for offices May 1.

Sibley intends to appeal the judgment to the state Supreme Court. But he is not surprised few people challenge incumbents, even those who took free Stones tickets.

"People don't want to run anymore," he said. "They see what happens to people in politics."

He said he followed the law and reported the acceptance of tickets.

The ethics of the legislators who took Stones tickets were called into question when stories first appeared in January.

Leaders of both the Democratic and Republican parties say the tickets scandal has faded from public memory and it is not the kind of single issue that will cause voters to kick legislators out.

"I hardly think it is going to affect any Democrat who accepted them," state Democratic Party Chairwoman Adriana Martinez said. "What they did was not illegal."

Martinez noted all seven Democrats who accepted tickets disclosed the gifts on their financial disclosure statements.

"Other than from Chuck and his poll, I haven't heard others get excited," state Republican Party Chairman Paul Adams added. "There are a lot of people stirring up others to run, but there is a reluctance to get into the fray."

State law requires all public officials to file out annual financial disclosure statements each January that include listing the sources of any gifts valued at $200 or more.

Four Republicans also accepted Stones tickets. Allen and Sibley both reported the gifts, but state Sens. Warren Hardy and Dennis Nolan, both R-Las Vegas, did not initially list accepting the tickets. They later filed amendment financial disclosure statements showing they took the Stones tickets.

Hardy said he did not initially report the tickets because entertainment is not considered a gift under state law.

One person willing to challenge an incumbent is Democrat Brent Howard. He lost the primary two years ago to District 1 Assemblywoman Marilyn Kirkpatrick, D-North Las Vegas, and intends to run again.

Two sources in the Legislature told a Review-Journal reporter that Kirkpatrick accepted tickets to the NASCAR race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2005.

Those tickets, to the owner's box, were worth about $700. She did not report the gift on her financial disclosure statement. Kirkpatrick has not returned numerous telephone calls and e-mail messages inquiring if she actually accepted the tickets.

Until she says otherwise, Howard is operating on the assumption she did. He said he is a fiscally conservative Democrat, while Kirkpatrick follows the dictates of liberal, free-spending party leaders.

"We have the wrong kind of Democrats in the Legislature," he said. "They just want to raise taxes and spend more. Their answer to everything is we haven't spent enough."

Howard said Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas, political consultant Gary Gray and Buckley control which candidates receive contributions, endorsements and can run for seats.

Because they dissuade those who do not follow their thinking from running, Howard said, there were only 10 Democratic primaries for the 29 Assembly seats in Clark County two years ago.

Gray is married to Giunchigliani. She accepted Stones tickets, including one for her husband, and noted that she reported the gift as required by state law.

Giunchigliani now is running for the Clark County Commission. She said after the ticket scandal broke that the law should be changed if lawmakers feel accepting tickets is improper.

State Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, has proposed that the 2007 Legislature do exactly that -- block acceptance of most gifts including tickets.

Gray said he wishes he had the power that Howard credits him as possessing. The reason why people do not challenge incumbents or run even for open seats, according to Gray, is they can't afford to make the personal sacrifices -- uprooting their families, leaving their jobs and moving to Carson City for four months -- for a salary of $7,800.

"It is a real economic hardship for people," Gray said. "Politicians aren't the most respected people out there right now, even though there are good ones. You may think you are the best candidate, but sometimes you can't beat someone who is doing a real good job."

Muth still expects challengers will emerge to face the ticket takers.

"I would not panic yet. I am getting e-mail from people who say, 'Yes I am interested, but quite frankly I don't know how to begin a campaign.'"

LEGISLATORS WHO ACCEPTED TICKETS TO ENTERTAINMENT EVENTS

• Assemblywoman Francis Allen, R-Las Vegas: One Rolling Stones ticket valued at $500. After stories broke about legislators taking tickets, Allen said she gave a $500 donation to a high school soccer program to cover the cost.

• Assemblyman Morse Arberry, D-Las Vegas: One Rolling Stones ticket valued at $400.

• Assembly Majority Leader Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas: Two Rolling Stones tickets valued at $676. Before stories broke, Buckley repaid $676 to Ameriquest, the company that sponsored the Stones concert.

• State Sen. Bob Coffin, D-Las Vegas: Two Rolling Stones tickets valued at $650.

• Assemblyman Mo Denis, D-Las Vegas: Two Luis Miguel tickets valued at $630.

• Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas: Two Rolling Stones tickets valued at $800 and two Luis Miguel tickets valued at $400. She is now a candidate for Clark County Commission.

• State Sen. Warren Hardy, R-Las Vegas: Two Rolling Stones tickets valued at $676 and six tickets to the National Finals Rodeo valued at $336. Hardy did not initially report the tickets, saying entertainment is not considered a gift under state law. He then filed an amended financial disclosure statement listing receipt of the tickets.

• State Sen. Dennis Nolan, R-Las Vegas: Two Rolling Stones tickets valued at $675 and an undisclosed number of National Finals Rodeo tickets valued at $250. Nolan did not initially list the tickets on his financial disclosure statement. He later filed an amended statement showing the tickets as a gift.

• Assemblyman John Oceguera, D-Las Vegas: Two Rolling Stones tickets valued at $800 and two Luis Miguel tickets valued at $400.

• Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson: Two Rolling Stones tickets valued at $500. He has announced he will not run for re-election and is now Henderson police chief.

• Assemblyman Scott Sibley, R-Henderson: Two Rolling Stones tickets and two Luis Miguel tickets valued at a total $1,000.

Source: Legislators' financial disclosure statements

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