Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Lobbyist: Angry Horsford threatened to take “all of (North Las Vegas) money”

A lobbyist for North Las Vegas wrote an email to his client in which he described an incensed state Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford fulminating about the local government’s decision to award a $500,000 contract to a local business. Horsford apparently does not like one of the principals of a company partnering with national giant Gensler and is opposed to carte blanche, sole-source contracts, which he has a bill in to prevent. Horsford also is seen as hostile to local governments and wants to use their budgets as a way to help balance the state books.

The lobbyist, Dan Musgrove, wrote an ill-advised email to his client (UPDATE: Maryann Ustick, whom he sent the email to, is the acting city manager.) in which he said he fears a furious Horsford will take money from the government “and any other thing that we might need or want this session. Seriously, I have never ever seen him like this.”

Musgrove said he tried to explain to the majority leader, who “looked at me and said ‘you better fix this.’”

Musgrove warned the council about Horsford’s power and added, “It is certainly not my role to ask you to re-consider the agreement, all I can tell you as the "messenger" is what Senator Horsford expects/demands of us and he certainly is in a great position of power for the next two more months and can certainly wreck havoc on us. I would just call your attention to what he did to the City of Las Vegas on the F Street closure. He passed a bill in the last days of the session that is going to cost Las Vegas about $20 million dollars.”

Wow.

I have never seen an email like this.

The email trail is below, as is a response from Horsford, who did not deny the conversation took place but insisted he was representing his constituents. The company in question, Unibex, has been controversial and Otis Harris and his wife, Tisha, have been involved:

Business Press

RJ

It was Tisha Harris who disseminated Musgrove’s foolish email after it was given to the council and then presumably passed on to her. She wondered why Horsford was against her company. Harris’ email is at the top, followed by a North Las Vegas staffer’s (Ustick, the acting city manager) comments and then Musgrove’s incredible original and Horsford’s response:

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Tisha Harris email:

FYI: Please read this entire email and consider these points because we don't understand Senator Steve Horsford on this.

• We're working hard to bring companies to invest and create jobs in the valley (and we already have some ready to go), and this is what we get!

• We had a committed $1 billion that is attempting to be stolen from us by elected officials and their associates that we lost.

• Gensler is just doing concepts for investors so there is a visual concept for them to see and invest in. Right now the City has none.

• Gensler is one of only a couple of companies in the world that has contacts around the world to support community development.

• Unibex has a Public Private Partnership with the City of North Las Vegas.

• Otis Harris doesn't get one dime out of the Gensler contract.

What is the Senators (sic) problem?

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This one is from NLV staffer Maryann Ustick to the council:

Subject: Fw: Horsford Incensed re: Gensler Contract

FYI. Dan called me this am and told he was going to send me this summary of his "conversation" with Senator Horsford. I told Dan that the contract is with Gensler and is scheduled for April 6 Council agenda. Dan strongly suggested that Councilmembers give Senator Horsford a call to explain the reasons for this contract and the fact that an RFP process was not used. I gave Dan some background on the new contract that has been developed and is currently being reviewed by Gensler. Should you have any questions, please give Dan or me a call.

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This is Musgrove's email:

Subject: Horsford Incensed

From: Dan Musgrove

Date: Fri, 25 Mar 2011 10:09:11 -0700

To: Maryann Ustick

Karen Storms

Maryann, I would ask that you forward this email to Council.

I just got out of a hastily called meeting with Majority Leader Steven Horsford. He is as angry as I have ever seen him. He opened the very one-sided conversation with the statement "NLV is going bankrupt and you find $500,000 dollars to give to Otis Harris? Are you crazy? That's it...I'm taking all of your money. All of it. No RFP? I"m using you guys as the poster child in my hearing today on my bill about sole source contracts."

I tried to explain about Unibex and the fact that our attorney is working on a very strict and air tight contract, and he said that was the only thing we had going for us - the fact that we had not yet signed the contract. He looked at me and said "you better fix this".

I understand that the contract is up for review and approval on the April 6th agenda and I would really suggest that any of the council members who are in favor of this agreement give the Senator a call. I am very very concerned about how he will treat us the rest of the session and whether our C-tax study is still safe, and any other thing that we might need or want this session. Seriously, I have never ever seen him like this.

His bill this afternoon is SB359 and puts in restrictions on sole source contracts. He told me that he planned on using us as a "bad example" on why this bill needs to be passed, so we might get some press calls on it if he indeed mentions us.

It is certainly not my role to ask you to re-consider the agreement, all I can tell you as the "messenger" is what Senator Horsford expects/demands of us and he certainly is in a great position of power for the next two more months and can certainly wreck havoc on us. I would just call your attention to what he did to the City of Las Vegas on the F Street closure. He passed a bill in the last days of the session that is going to cost Las Vegas about $20 million dollars.

Feel free to call me if you have any questions. Dan

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Here is Horsford’s reponse, a non-denial denial but an unrepentant and forceful one:

I represent the residents of North Las Vegas. The people I talk to don’t care where the waste is in government, they care whether basic services like schools, parks and safety are funded.

If the City of North Las Vegas is wasting hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars on no-bid contracts, I am going to find out who is responsible and do something about it.

That was the point of SB359 – requiring greater transparency and accountability for every dollar.

Recreation centers and neighborhood parks my children and their friends go to are on the chopping block. It is unacceptable if groups are pocketing money that should be used to improve the city. I am glad this issue has been brought to light where it belongs.

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