Court rules against former state senator

By Cy Ryan

Friday, Aug. 5, 2011 | 1:07 p.m.

CARSON CITY – A district judge has ruled that former state Sen. Bob Beers of Las Vegas failed to file a 2008 financial disclosure statement as require by law.

District Judge Todd Russell granted a summary judgment Monday for the Secretary of State, who fined Beers $2,000 and asked for attorney fees and costs.

Beers, who served from 2004 until his defeat in the 2008 election, contested the decision of the Secretary of State, the chief election officer for the state. Beers also sought a pre-trial summary judgment in his favor.

Judge Russell said the law requires a public official to file a financial statement on or before Jan. 15 of each year of his term. The facts in the case are not in dispute, only the interpretation of the law.

Beers, through his lawyer, maintained he wasn't required to file a fifth financial statement during a four-year term. Beers said the financial statement is to alert the public of potential conflicts before they elect a representative and before they act.

The judge agreed with Beers but also said the financial statement was to show whether a lawmaker took a lucrative job or received a substantial gift from a business that benefitted from legislation passed during the session.

Beers, a certified public accountant, served in the special session in 2008. The judge said a public officer must file a financial disclosure statement for each year of his term including the year the term expires. He said legislators should not be treated differently from other public officials in the filing of these financial statements.