Thursday, Sept. 25, 1997 | 2:32 a.m.
Yet to be decided is whether Las Vegas Mayor Jan Jones will be asked to testify in a case involving one of her assistants, Communications Director Cathy Hanson.
State Assemblyman Wendell Williams, D-Las Vegas, accused Hanson and former City Councilman Matthew Callister of threatening to fire him if he voted for legislation opposed by city officials. Williams, who is also a city employee, said he was told in veiled terms that he could lose his job if he backed a proposal to weaken the city's power of eminent domain.
Hanson and Callister have strongly denied the charges. Callister has suggested Williams concocted the story to make it more difficult for the city to fire him.
The complaint was filed by Las Vegas resident Clyde Dinkins, who also has asked the commission to look into Jones' role in the incident. In a July interview, Hanson said Jones instructed her to talk with Williams about his city job.
Hanson said the mayor wanted Williams to know his job with the city was safe, not that he would be fired if he voted against the city.
"The mayor asked me to talk to Mr. Williams and to say that he is an independent elected official and he had to vote his conscience" on the eminent domain bill, Hanson said in an August interview, adding that "all I can conclude is there was some misunderstanding."
Dinkins said Jones should be asked about the incident because "nobody has the authority to fire Williams but her."
The commission also will investigate charges against Clark County Treasurer Mark Aston. An audit last year found Aston used $6,047 in interest on property taxes collected for local governments to pay for Christmas cards, video games and a Costco membership for himself and his wife.
He also accepted $42,000 in office computer equipment as a gift from Merrill Lynch Inc., a firm with which Aston makes county investments.
Aston has maintained he did nothing improper.
The Ethics Commission can fine people who break state laws up to $5,000, and recommend their impeachment. But the board lacks legal authority to remove officials from office.
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