Former Sen. Joe Neal claims race an issue in Arberry hearing

Clark County Commissioner Rory Reid’s forceful opposition to judges hiring a legislator to lobby the Legislature on their behalf created a new foe from his own Democratic party - former Sen. Joe Neal.

Neal contends the criticism of the judge’s desire to hire former Assemblyman Morse Arberry is race-based. (Both he and Arberry are black).

“The whole hearing, in my judgment, was racist because they used certain things in opposition to this man to improve themselves among their own constituency,” he said.

He also said I was racist because of my column Saturday about Arberry’s work ethic. He said I called Arberry “lazy,” which he said is something “all Southern whites used to claim” about African-Americans.

Actually, I never used the word, although I gave specific examples of Arberry’s questionable work ethic.

Neal also objected because he wasn’t allowed to speak in Tuesday’s commission meeting, calling it a violation of the Open Meeting Law. Reid tried to explain that some agenda items are open for public comment and some are not, and that drew Neal’s wrath as well. “I was denied the right to speak on the Arberry issue,” he said.

Actually, he spoke, but it was during the public comment period at the end of the meeting.

So he’s vowed to work against Reid’s gubernatorial effort, saying “he doesn’t deserve to be governor.”

Now Reid is trailing in the polls, yet everyone from Neal to firefighters to my boss’ dogs want to be able to take credit if Reid loses.

Neal will continue to insist the Arberry issue is based on racism and that the county commission violated the Open Meeting Law. He’s wrong on both counts, in my opinion.

He won’t change my mind and I won’t change his. But at least he called me back to talk about it.