AG: Hepatitis Probe Findings Startling

By Dana Gentry

Thursday, June 12, 2008 | 2:40 p.m.

Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto, who is investigating allegations of Medicaid fraud at the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada, stopped short on today's program of saying charges will be filed but called the findings so far "startling."

Masto also attempted to explain why she's challenging all those seasoned office holders (one whom she worked for at the county and some who served with her father, the late Manny Cortez, a longtime county commissioner) from running again.

And she explains why a bird in the hand isn't necessarily better than two in the bush when it comes to Lt. Governor Brian Krolicki's proposal to use tobacco settlement money to fill the budget hole. Taking a lump sum now from the less than stable future source sounds like a great idea to me, and spares the state from budget cuts that result in the loss of federal matching funds. Sounds good, that is, if our fearless lawmakers could be counted on to fill the funding void left in the Millenium Scholarship and other programs paid for with tobacco money.

We ran out of time before Jon could ask the primary question on my mind: The governor told the public he didn't have text with that woman, Mrs. Karrasch, on state time but the cell phone records indicate otherwise. Can those phone records be used as evidence in an impeachment trial?

Tomorrow: Two Las Vegans who hope to be among those fearless lawmakers, Republican Assembly candidate Sean Fellows and Steve Nathan, a Democrat after Dina Titus' Senate seat.