Public Funds Used for Political Campaign by RTC

Wasn't Kathy Augustine Impeached for This?

The Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) is waging a political ad campaign against Ballot Question 2 (the Property Rights Initiative) called, "There Is More To Know" using taxpayers' money.

Local concerned citizen, Robert Murawski, has investigated the RTC political campaign which is thinly veiled as an education program. Murawski contacted or attempted to contact all the members of the RTC Board for an explanation, but has received few responses. Jim McGrath the RTC Public Information Officer, told Murawski that the adds are not biased, since the ads refrain from advising a yes-or-no vote.

According to Mr. Murawski, the ads on radio and television "use dramatic character situations" to point out potential negatives of Ballot Question 2, but none of the positives, such as the protection of private property from seizure by the government using imminent domain.

Whether the RTC Board is for or against Ballot Question 2 is not the issue. The fact that the RTC Board is using taxpayers' money to promote their negative view of the ballot question is a misguided use of those funds and the labor of the RTC marketing department.

Kathy Augustine was impeached for some of her staff making phone calls and sending faxes during work hours to further her campaign. Why is it acceptable for a public commission to spend public monies to the tune of $50,000 to $60,000 in a lop-sided advertising campaign while feigning impartiality?
There IS More to Know About the RTC Campaign
Complete coverage of the RTC "There Is More To Know" campaign can be found on Robert Murawski's website.

To see Robert's website, CLICK HERE.

To view the RTC Board meeting minutes which pertain to this story CLICK HERE and HERE.

To view the RTC webpage CLICK HERE. The political campaign waged by the RTC has been designed in a very "lawyerly" way to technically skirt the definition of bias. The fact that the campaign only points out the negatives in passing Ballot Question 2 shows that the RTC is promoting a biased viewpoint and not an educational service as they try to project. The tone of foreboding concern employed by the RTC advertisements leaves any objective observer with no doubt that the ads are against the passage and implementation of the Property Rights Initiative (Ballot Question 2).

Moderate Muslim Response

Hat Tip: Atlas Shrugs

Senator Reid, Take off the Blinders!

A picture says a thousand words and the cartoonists at Cox and Forkum nail it with this one.

The Nevada “Power Rangers”: Sig Rogich

As we continue to look at the four most powerful people in Nevada, let’s reflect back to the article I wrote two weeks ago in this space. I mentioned that I was surprised that the Sparks City Council voted against the Harvey Whittemore Lazy 8 Casino project. About a week after the public vote by the Sparks City Council, a “behind closed doors” meeting was held by the council to secretly vote for approval of Whittemore’s project. This being an election year, I am not surprised by the shady method of voting by the council or the end result. The kind of pull that Harvey Whittemore brings to the table in Nevada is enough to cause a city council to break the Open Meeting Law without a second thought. No city council wants the public to see them cowering to the power of Harvey. Whittemore threatened the City of Sparks with a $100 million dollar lawsuit if he didn’t get his way. It worked for him. Now the State Attorney General is suing the Sparks City Council for violating Nevada’s open meeting law.
I spoke before of the extremely small club occupied by the four most influential lobbyists in the State of Nevada that have unofficially been dubbed the “Power Rangers” after the kung fu characters on a children’s television program. The second Power Ranger we will focus on is a man named Sig Rogich. Sig’s claim to fame is that he had the idea for the political TV commercial during the Bush versus Dukakis presidential race in 1988 that showed Dukakis looking completely absurd riding around in the hatch of an Army tank wearing a funny looking helmet. Sig chose to live in Nevada and his political influence has grown over Nevada politicians ever since. Some may not see the problem in what lobbyists like Sig Rogich do but as the state government encroaches more and more upon the lives of individuals, such a concentration of decision making, available to the highest bidder, becomes a concern.
In the “old days” state and the federal governments were effectively limited by the U.S. and state constitutions so that government could not easily or directly impact most individuals, businesses or industries. Over time, the Nevada State Government, (like all governments through history) has increased its influence, taxation and regulation at all levels, beyond the limitations framed by constitutional writers. Now a one may be put out of business because of a law passed by the legislature and signed by the governor. It reminds me of the famous and comical Ronald Reagan quote, “The government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.” If one were to look at the Nevada Revised Statutes in 1906, he would see a document with the appearance of a very thin single volume binder. Now the Nevada Revised Statutes, if stacked, rise beyond an eight foot ceiling, past the roof and even past the chimney of your single story house.
Men like Sig Rogich peddle influence to the highest bidder. Sig claims to be a Republican which would traditionally mean someone who is against tax increases. In our present world it means that Sig Rogich can successfully lobby for the largest tax increase in Nevada history and still claim to be a conservative. When questioned about his pro-tax stance when he came out against anti-tax Republican State Senator Ann O’Connell, Rogich was quoted by the Las Vegas Review-Journal as saying, “I don’t think that’s anti-Republican in any way. I don’t think Republicans should shy away from necessary tax increases.” Since the $800 million dollar tax increase was followed by an $833 million dollar surplus, I doubt that a reasonable person would find Sig’s tax increase to be “necessary.” For good or ill, I think every Nevadan should know more about the “Power Rangers” whispering in the ears of their elected leaders.

Sparks City Council Prime Example of Politics of Pull in Nevada

It was disgraceful that the Sparks City Council chose to deal with Harvey Whittemore in a back room genuflection to Harvey's wishes.

In my previous post I stated that I was surprised that the Sparks City Council appeared to stand up to Whittemore's political bullying. As we now see, the Politics of Pull in Nevada are alive and kicking with Harvey Whittemore as the current lead mule.

Now the Nevada Attorney General is suing the Sparks City Council for sneaking a vote away from the public eye so that in an election year, the people won't know who vote for the concession to Harvey Whittemore. The public meeting laws are there for a reason and I think it is completely appropriate that the Sparks City Council is being sued.

Harvey Whittemore and the Politics of Pull in Nevada

Most people in Nevada, when asked to name the four most powerful people in the state would most likely mention people who hold elected offices such as the governor, senators or even law enforcement leaders like the Sheriff of the Clark County Metro Police. Few people realize that the most powerful people in the State of Nevada happen to be a few extremely influential lobbyists. In the year of the Jack Abramoff scandal, the word lobbyist has been bandied about repeatedly in the media, but what is a lobbyist? According to Webster’s Dictionary, to lobby is, “1.to conduct activities aimed at influencing public officials and especially members of a legislative body on legislation or 2. to influence or sway (as a public official) toward a desired action.” Another way to describe a lobbyist is to say they are influence peddlers; selling their influence to the highest bidder. The four most powerful lobbyists (and I venture to say the four most powerful people) in Nevada, are Sig Rogich, Harvey Whittemore, Peter Ernaut, and Billy Vassiliadis. Collectively, these four men have come to be known inside Nevada political circles as the “Power Rangers” after the quirkily costumed children’s martial arts characters. Usually the Power Rangers are adept at “staying below the radar” although if one is to look a little bit, their names pop up in almost every aspect of Nevada government. Most people know what is meant by a “good ‘ol boys club.” The Power Rangers are the lead Mouseketeers.
Today, we will take a look at Harvey Whittemore, since in the last few weeks; Harvey has appeared in two controversial schemes. The latest is his attempt to build the Lazy 8 Casino in the middle of a Sparks neighborhood (which the Sparks City Council denied last week). The other episode involving Whittemore, is the Coyote Springs Development north of Las Vegas. With as much influence and money that Whittemore brings to the table it is somewhat surprising that his bid to build the casino in Sparks was denied. Almost immediately after the Sparks City Council voted its disapproval Harvey and his attorney vowed legal action to the tune of “hundreds of millions of dollars” against the City of Sparks for failing to honor a contractual agreement. It isn’t over yet so it remains to be seen whether Harvey finally gets his way or gets a whole bunch of money. Either way, Harvey is demonstrating that he is a master at the politics of pull.
The other scheme that Whittemore has been working on for the past few years is the Coyote Springs Development which is an hour northeast of Las Vegas. Harvey’s close relationship with Senator Harry Reid has helped tremendously in Whittemore’s ability to sidestep and change policies and regulations standing in the way of his gigantic project. The politics of pull allow a person with the right connections and the right amount of money to do things others cannot do. Whittemore admits this himself when he said, “In a small state, personal relationships are particularly important: "This is not New York. This is Nevada.” I am glad that this is Nevada and not New York. In Nevada, everyone is supposed to be equal, unfortunately some like Harvey Whittemore, are more equal than others.
With Harry Reid’s help, Whittemore has removed formidable obstacles to the Coyote Springs project. Reid had about 13,000 acres of land designated as a sanctuary for the desert tortoise moved out of the center of the Coyote Springs land to the north and eastern edges of the land freeing up development. That is no easy feat when dealing with the Federal Endangered Species Act. Changing the land designation is something that could only be done by the Senate Minority Leader or higher. It is amazing how Democrats are champions of the environment unless it suits their purposes to be otherwise. According to the Los Angeles Times, as the hurdles were removed, “Reid received tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from Whittemore.” Yet, Harry Reid’s office said that Harvey Whittemore was treated, “no differently than any other developer.” We will take a look at the other Power Rangers and their dealings in future columns.

UPDATE: Harvey Whittemore and his lawyers threatened a $100 million plus dollar lawsuit and so got their way despite the public vote of the Sparks City Council. The project is going through.