This is an interesting bit about land developer, Las Vegan, and former next-door neighbor of mine Jim “Jimmy” Rhodes. We have the same birthday, which should be sufficient to discredit astrology right there. (N.B. we were not born in the same year, thankyouverymuch.)
Heartwarming quote from the linked article:
In his commission testimony, Rhodes blamed many of his past problems on his underlings in an interconnected chain of companies he owns, or on unscrupulous lawyers and investment partners out to make a buck off of his success. In many cases, Rhodes claims, he is the victim.
Those who have gone up against him see it differently.
“What surprises me is how he has had the audacity to basically just screw over his partners and he hasn’t ended up in a hole out in the desert,” said Las Vegas attorney Albert Marquis, who represented a client who successfully sued Rhodes ….
Nice.
The FEC enforcement matter referenced in the article is MUR 5305. The MUR 5305 conciliation is available here.
Good grief. I tried to find more comprehensive links about the Gibbons story, but in the limited time I have I didn’t succeed.
Is it over? Lance Malone is pleading guilty in the eve of his Las Vegas trial, it appears. The Review Journal’s story has a nice summary of who stands where.
Hey, we’re busy. So we’ve been remiss in keeping up with the slow-August newscoverage of G-Sting: The Scandal that Keeps On . . . Doing Whatever It Is Scandals Do.
In the first round, Commissioners Herrera and Kincaid-Chauncey have been sentenced, by gum! Here are more details about the sentencing. This suggests that Lance Malone could be in for a rough time when his trial begins in September.
Yeah, baby. The corruption scandal gift-that-keeps-on-giving may be making another appearance this month. Lance Malone, former Clark County Commissioner, good buddy of strip-club owner and tale teller Michael Galardi, may go to trial this month. His defense counsel, local legend Dominic Gentile, has moved for a change in venue.
Federal prosecutors, on the other hand, think it will be possible to assemble a jury out of the 1.7 million people living in Las Vegas, that could stand a chance of getting through the trial without fainting or collapsing into the giggles.
Me - not so sure that’s possible, um, anywhere. But good luck, guys.
Porn “actresses” are running for Governor in both California and Nevada. Is this the ultimate revenge of G-Sting? It would be a bit more difficult to use sexual favors to corrupt a politician whose former job was in porn. At least it would be kind of intimidating, doncha think? Maybe we should be recruiting them to run for local office in San Diego and Las Vegas.
Given what you know, decide for yourselves whether you should be looking at the links. Don’t blame me if you are, alternatively, offended or disappointed. Lets put it this way — I’m going on the assumption that you are familiar with this Avenue Q lyric, or the spirit behind it, anyway.
. . . or maybe you don’t, about Las Vegas politics (which resembles regular politics, only more flamboyant) here’s Vegas Pundit, the blog of Las Vegas Sun political columnist John Ralston. Which I like - I wish his posts were a little more expansive, but he’s probably saving up material for his other ventures.
Yesterday at the G-Sting trial, former Commissioner and accused bribe recipient Dario Herrera says — “what money?” So surprising he didn’t take the stand to admit to it all.
Meanwhile, assuming your thirst for Vegas-y blogging may not be entirely quenched, check out this blog seemingly associated with the LA Times - but much more entertainingly written.
By the way, Herrera was the beneficiary of the straw-donor activity in MUR 5305, released in March.
UPDATE: Another blogger has converted the wiretaps collected in the G-Sting investigation into Mp3s and made them available online. Kind of like a podcast, eh?
As in Harvey Mansfield (not just a “man’s man,” a man’s field!), on The Colbert Report.
Having covered this thus far, I feel obliged.
Yesterday’s day at the G-Sting trial was another day where defendants, this time former Commissioner Herrera, contested the allegations made by “gentlemen’s club” proprieter Michael Galardi.
Gifts from friends (and the ladies who work for them) or bribes? Voting one’s free market conscience or doing the payer’s bidding? In the words of Spinal Tap lead David St. Hubbins, it’s such a fine line between stupid and clever.
Tomorrow - the prosecution’s cross-examination.
