From Erin Kenny to homeless arrests, 2007 had embarrassing moments

Gone, but not forgotten. I'm not talking about those celebrities who passed on in 2007.

I'm talking about Clark County Commissioner Erin Kenny.

The felonious ex-politician finally exited the local stage this year on her way to serving a 30-month federal sentence for her role in the G-sting public corruption scandal.

Just last year, Kenny took top dishonors in my Bottom 10 embarrassing stories of the year for her tawdry comments, captured on court-ordered wiretaps, during the height of the investigation. Surely locals will recall Kenny's smash hit, "I'm on my knees begging." She then wisely turned on her former comrades in political sleaze.

What would the 18th annual Bottom 10 stories of the year be without a tribute to Kenny?

Like a bad drunk without a hangover, that's what.

No. 10: RHODES' HOME GIRL. During her last appearance as a prosecution witness, Kenny reveals that she manages to make ends meet as a $201,600-a-year consultant to local developer Jim Rhodes.

That's nice work if you can get it. But to get more, you'd probably have to be a member of the family.

No. 9: FAMILY BUSINESS. Upstart political gurus Brian Atkinson Turner and wife Katie O'Gara prove it pays to be related when they suck up $407,343 for "consulting" and "advertising" during Clark County Commissioner Yvonne Atkinson Gates' 2004 campaign. Skeptics believe Turner had no qualifications for the campaign job until his background as an escort service operator is revealed.

Now all three are consulting competent defense lawyers as local and federal investigators look into the politically incestuous dealings.

NO. 8: BIG DEAL. Gaming boss Steve Wynn has a sparkling new resort and a world of business prospects, but when he messes with his dealers' tips he turns his casino into a center of union organizing activity.

Wynn's attempt at a quick fix turns into a migraine. But speaking of fixes ...

NO. 7: IN A FIX. When rookie District Judge Elizabeth Halverson (see No. 2) brawls with critics at the Regional Justice Center, she presents a judicial executive assistant's file titled "Quick Fix Reports" as proof that plenty of shenanigans are going on down at the local courthouse. Say it ain't so.

Maybe the judges need their own union.

NO. 6: FREE LAND! Or, almost free, as officials associated with the Tapestry Project discover after linking arms with city officials. Their prospective haul is impressive: 15.25 acres of real estate for a fraction of its $14.5 million value.

The Tapestry group's spotty development track record doesn't prevent it from winning the day.

You'd almost think it had a relative in government.

NO 5. GONZO'S GASP: After months of deception and outright prevarication, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales takes one for the Bush administration following the idiotic firing of eight U.S. attorneys, including Nevada's Daniel Bogden.

NO 4. NOW BATTING ... Oscar Goodman. The mayor's mouth never stops, but he whiffs by saying he'd take a ball bat to Bob Herbert after The New York Times columnist pens critical columns about Las Vegas and its exploitation of women. Although Goodman was pummeled in the press, I notice Herbert no longer writes about Las Vegas.

Has anyone seen him lately?

No. 3: JUICE JOURNALISM. Capone took a fall for taxes, so it's only fitting that blood-stained former NFL star O.J. Simpson gets tripped up in Las Vegas over a beef involving sports memorabilia. But what makes the story far weirder is the way the world's media converges on Las Vegas for blow-by-blow reports while little things like the war in Iraq and the mortgage crisis are pushed to the bottom of the news cycle.

No. 2: THE BENCH WARMER. Judge Halverson's odd behavior -- occasional naps, dopey decisions and a request for a foot massage -- fuel her critics' call for her removal from the bench. She vows to run for re-election -- after she catches 40 winks.

NO. 1: CRAPPED OUT. When three homeless men are arrested for sleeping in the vicinity of poop at Huntridge Park, site of a multimillion-dollar city renovation, they decide not to take that, uh, stuff lying down and litigate their hosts.

Result: A $10,000 royal flush for the great unwashed and crimson faces on the part of the city's feces police.

Frankly, I think they should have held out for some free land.

John L. Smith's column appears Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. E-mail him at Smith@reviewjournal.com or call (702) 383-0295.