Law unclear on funding mammograms

Campaign funds are supposed to be just that: funds for campaigns. Does that mean you're not supposed to use them to actually help people?

County Commissioner Lawrence Weekly last week announced he would sponsor free mammograms for women without health insurance. According to the county, the examinations would be paid for with $2,500 of Weekly's campaign cash.

Is that legal?

It's not clear. Nevada statute prohibits spending of campaign funds for a candidates' "personal use," but the law is vague about what "personal use" means. Candidates have gotten away with spending their campaign cash on suits, baby-sitting and car tires, all under the argument that they needed those things to continue their bids for office.

Weekly wasn't the one getting a mammogram, Political Notebook assumes. But could offering free mammograms to constituents be considered an attempt to subtly buy their votes?

Under Nevada statute, "A person who bribes, offers to bribe, or uses any other corrupt means, directly or indirectly, to influence any elector in giving his vote ... is guilty of a category D felony." (It only took the Nevada Legislature 111 years after statehood to get around to banning vote-buying.)

The question was sometimes asked during the Las Vegas mayoral campaigns of flamboyant Stratosphere founder Bob Stupak, who was known to pass out fruit baskets to potential supporters just before the election.

But there was never a formal ruling on the practice, recalled Review-Journal columnist John L. Smith, author of a book about Stupak, "No Limit."

"He (Stupak) got away with a lot when he was just considered kind of a character," Smith said.

Weekly's move to provide free mammograms came after the commission decided to cut mammogram services at University Medical Center, Southern Nevada's only public hospital.

Statutes expressly allow campaign funds to be used for the official duties of public officials, or they may be given to charity.

But do the free mammograms fit any of those categories? It's not clear, said Matt Griffin, deputy secretary of state for elections. He said no one has filed a complaint related to Weekly's expenditure.

County spokesman Dan Kulin said the legality of the program didn't come up in planning discussions about the free mammograms. Weekly was not available for comment.

According to campaign finance reports on file with the county, from Jan. 1, 2007, to Oct. 23, 2008, Weekly raised about $950,000 for his campaign and managed to spend $650,000 despite meeting only token opposition.

Appointed to the commission in 2007, Weekly won his election with 84 percent of the vote, opposed in the general election only by a member of the Independent American Party.

REID-ING FORTUNES

With his oldest son preparing a possible run for governor, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., does not appear sold on the idea.

Asked whether he thought County Commissioner Rory Reid would win if he decided to run, Papa Reid said, "If he runs, I hope he wins."

"Rory's no kid anymore," Reid mused in a recent interview.

"He's going to do what he wants to do. And I'm so happy that he likes politics."

Rory Reid's first run for County Commission was undertaken against his father's wishes. Last year, Harry Reid professed his displeasure when Rory Reid signed on as Nevada chairman of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign; the senator had asked Nevada Democratic officials to remain neutral.

Harry Reid noted that his son's political track record is mixed.

"When he was a student, he campaigned (for me) all over Nevada," he said. "I remember one example: Lund, Nevada. He went there, he was in the parade, he did so many things in Lund.

"They beat me 2-to-1 in Lund. I said, 'You're a failure as a campaigner. You're a failure.' ... But he loves politics. He's a wonderful son. He's always been such a good example for his sister and his brothers. I just hope I don't get in his way if he decides to run."

HOT TICKET

Tickets to President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration ceremonies next month have been going like hot cakes all over the country. Nevada's representatives have been deluged with requests.

Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., recently posted a notice on her Web site: "I sincerely regret my office is not able to accept any further requests for Inaugural tickets, as I have received requests for more than 8,000 tickets and expect to receive less than 200 to distribute," it states. "You may wish to check with Senators Reid and Ensign. However, their allotments may already be committed by now, too."

Yep.

"We'll receive a few hundred tickets, but we already have almost 1,000 requests that have come into our office," said Tory Mazzola, spokesman for Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev.

"We'll be receiving the tickets about a week before the inauguration and will let people know if they will be getting tickets then. Because we won't be able to accommodate everyone's request, we're encouraging people who want to come to Washington to consider attending other events as well: the procession and parade to the Capitol," for example.

"We are also reminding people who want to come out and attend the inauguration about the anticipated cold weather and several hours of waiting outside before the speech and inauguration (ceremony)," Mazzola added.

Ensign, a true Nevadan, is apparently conscious of the fact that his constituents are more accustomed to 110-degree heat.

Reid is probably getting a healthy number of tickets, but he's not telling. "We have lots of requests. I'm not telling anybody how many I get," he said.

Reid said his deputy chief of staff implored him not to tell because other senators would bother him for the tickets. He said his office hasn't decided how to distribute the tickets he gets.

Some other members of Congress are holding lotteries to ensure the limited tickets are distributed without favoritism. Reid said he planned to play favorites with family members, high school and college classmates, and former co-workers. Beyond that, he said, "Anyone who may want to go, tell them to let me know and I will try to sort through it all."

REID CONNECTION

Stephanie Cutter, a senior aide to Obama who is being considered for a high-level White House job, has a Nevada tie through Sen. Harry Reid.

Cutter, 40, worked as a communications adviser to Reid from April 2005 until March 2006, when the Nevadan was Senate minority leader. She also has participated in his re-election campaign planning.

Cutter is more widely known as a longtime aide to Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and as Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry's chief spokeswoman during his 2004 presidential campaign. She is from the Bay State.

During this year's presidential race, Cutter was chief of staff to Michelle Obama. Now she is chief spokeswoman for the president-elect's transition team.

The New York Times reported last week Cutter is being considered for a job in the Obama administration as a White House senior communications adviser.

Stephens Washington Bureau chief Steve Tetreault contributed to this report. Contact reporter Molly Ball at mball@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2919.