Vol. 2, No. 19
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August 1, 2005
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CRIMINAL DEFENSE |
COPYWRITING
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Top News Story:
Money Still Works Political Magic And It Comes From Many Sources
Out Of State Money Driving Some Nevada Candidates; Coffers Are Full, Not Overflowing With Year To Go
by Johnny Gunn
Federal election commission financial reports are starting to make their influence known for the upcoming congressional races in Nevada. With the new Primary Election date moved up to August from September, there is just one year to go. Sales of earplugs have not soared just yet. Candidates for the three Nevada Congressional seats have been busily gathering funds, creating working committees, and traveling the various districts to gain support.
It's the Second Congressional District, currently held by Republican Jim Gibbons (R) that is drawing the most support, and money. Gibbons will probably be a candidate for governor, and although he has been gathering money for a possible Congressional race; by law that money can be converted to his gubernatorial race. Gibbons has said that he will go to each of the contributors to see if they want it that way, and he said, if not, he will return their money.
Those looking to replace Gibbons include Dawn Gibbons, former Assemblywoman, (R); Sharron Angle, an Assemblywoman (R); and Dean Heller, currently Nevada's Secretary of State (R). All three are Republicans in a Republican heavy district. The Second Congressional District includes all of Nevada except for small areas in southern Nevada.
The Republican primary will be an active race pitting some well-known Nevada political names in what some call a free-for-all. Sharron Angle, probably the most conservative member of the Nevada Assembly has raised almost $159,000 during the month of June, and of more than 150 contributions to her campaign, only eleven came from Nevada.
Angle currently has $157,404 on hand in her war chest. Her contributors represent 36 states in all. Heller has $246,760 on hand, the most of the three candidates, and only six contributors to Heller's campaign are out of staters. Gibbons, considered the front runner at this time, has $149,224 on hand, according to the federal election commission. There were 40 contributors to Gibbons' campaign from outside Nevada, many from Washington, D.C.
There hasn't been any organized opposition in Congressional Districts One and Three. The incumbents have said they plan to seek another term.
Nevada Senate Majority Leader Dina Titus (D) has come forward and announced her candidacy for Nevada Governor. She has not always been a supporter of northern Nevada legislation, and knows she needs to beef up her image in the northern counties. She made her announcement in Minden in Douglas County on Sunday July 17. The following day she spoke to a crowd gathered for an art program at a park in Reno.
Titus is the only Democrat to announce for the job. Some feel that Richard Perkins, the Assembly Speaker and fellow Democrat may be about to announce. Or maybe not. Many recent polls put him dead last or not even known for the seat.
The man who led the Assembly fight to kill Governor Kenny Guinn's massive tax increase in 2003 is now a state senator and says he would like to occupy the Governor's Mansion. Bob Beers would be a viable candidate, particularly among those who consider themselves fiscal conservatives. It isn't known how much money Beers might have in his war chest.
Kenny Guinn has held a grudge against both Beers and Gibbons for their efforts at tax relief and has been pressing for anyone to step into the fray. Guinn has touted University System Chancellor Jim Rogers and Reno Mayor Bob Cashell to jump in the gubernatorial race.
For an idea of Rogers' politics see our opinion piece in this issue. Big money for campaigns in Nevada emanate from the green covered tables in Clark County, and so far there doesn't seem to be a concerted effort to anoint any particular person by way of the purse strings.
As the financial statements are filed in the federal and state races, we will continue to keep you advised, not just on how much money has been received, but from whom.
New Political Party In Nevada: White Peoples Party
In the meantime, a group is looking to create a new political party in the state, this one racially motivated. They want to call it the White Peoples Party. It is the work of Michael O'Sullivan, a member of the National Vanguard, a group of white separatists, who is making the attempt. According to O'Sullivan, the party "won't let Jews or minorities join."
The National Vanguard can be described as racist at best, and neo-Nazi at worst. Their web page, http://www.natioanlvanguard.org is filled with hate and white supremacy slogans, writers, and politics. Interestingly, the only advertising on the pages is from Home Depot with an attached "National Vanguard" slug. There is no web page for White Peoples Party, but there is a known Nazi organization called the National Socialist White Peoples Party. It isn't known at this time if the two are connected or affiliated.
O'Sullivan runs a string of halfway houses in southern Nevada, and reportedly is coming under state investigation over some of his policies. There are also reports that the federal Commission on Civil Rights has filed complaints that may be under current FBI scrutiny. The FBI never acknowledges such investigations.
O'Sullivan says on the National Vanguard Web Page, "We wanted a name that is overtly racial." Papers have been filed with the Secretary of State, and the group now has until August 11, 2006 to gather 7,914 signatures to qualify as a Nevada political party.
Allen Lichtenstein, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said the party may not want Jews or minorities as members, but by way of federal law, the party "has to be open to all qualified voters." Lichtenstein himself if a Jew.
Besides O'Sullivan, a Las Vegas resident, other officers of the political party are Duane Vick, Secretary, and David Thomsen, Treasurer. Both men are from Las Vegas as well.
Although there have been attempts by skinheads and other racist groups to form in Washoe County, it isn't known if O'Sullivan has any people working in the north. He said he doesn't plan to hire signature gatherers, that he will have plenty of help from within the party.
There are no known White Peoples Party candidates who have announced for election.
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