Editorial: Adelson stoops to new lows

The Committee for Fairness, a nonprofit corporation backed by Las Vegas Sands Chairman Sheldon Adelson, is certainly not interested in fairness.

The group has spent about $2 million on radio spots and television commercials accusing incumbent Commissioners Erin Kenny and Myrna Williams of overspending and engaging in backroom deals. Another commercial attacks Dario Herrera, a Democratic candidate for another commission seat.

The committee is a not-so-thinly-disguised extension of Adelson, who is single-handedly trying to buy the election to put in his own people who will vote his way -- candidates Steve Harney, Milt Doyle and Mark Smith, whose campaign coffers Adelson has greatly enriched.

The length to which Adelson is going to buy this election with distortions, innuendoes and blatant lies is despicable. He has said he's trying to "open up" the election process. What he's doing is shutting it down.

Adelson thinks that by throwing around a few million dollars he can sway voters his way. Hopefully, voters are smart enough to see through this.

Even Gov. Bob Miller has deplored his tactics and the negative ads. Negative campaigns are one thing, distortions and lies are another.

In a press conference Thursday, Miller said both Democrats and Republicans are angry about the ads -- as they should be.

The Committee for "Fairness" says Adelson "is simply standing up for people that don't adhere to the left-wing policies of the union special interests."

Baloney.

Adelson simply has a beef with the incumbent county commissioners -- Williams and Kenny -- who won't do his personal bidding. Obviously he doesn't like Herrera because he won't be his puppet, either. Adelson even makes fun of Herrera's ethnic background in his distorted ads. How low will he go to buy this election?

Enough is enough.

A newly formed Committee for Common Decency, which is supported by the Culinary Union (which Adelson also hates and has vowed to destroy), is trying to counter Adelson's unfair attack ads. It also is disseminating fliers encouraging people to vote for Williams, Kenny and Herrera.

Voters should tell Adelson that distortions and attacks won't work in Clark County by not supporting his candidates.

Vote for the candidates who have the courage not to do Adelson's bidding.

It's the decent and truly fair thing to do.

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