Ensign campaign ad features woman wanted for welfare fraud

In the television ad, Rhonda Butler reads from a letter she sent Ensign, R-Nev., who is trying to unseat Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.

Ms. Butler thanks Ensign for his work as a "big brother" to her young son, and says she knows he must have been "sent by God." The commercial shows a smiling Ensign playing with the boy.

But KTNV News 13 reported Thursday that Ms. Butler is wanted in California for the illegal use of nearly $4,000 in food stamps. A court ordered her to pay back the money and perform community service.

An arrest warrant was issued in 1996 when Ms. Butler failed to meet all the terms of her probation.

Records show she also owes about $3,000 in outstanding restitution, the station reported.

Ensign said he was not aware of the warrant.

"This is a family I have gotten involved with," he said. "We'll stick by them though this. We are going to make sure she takes responsibility and pays back the taxpayers."

Ensign said Ms. Butler told him she will return to California to resolve the case.

He has said one of his major accomplishments in Congress is his work overhauling welfare.

Ensign's staff said they do not plan to pull the ad.

Economic development

Las Vegas Mayor Jan Laverty Jones is calling for greater coordination of Nevada's economic development activities.

The mayor, running for governor against Republican Kenny Guinn, says the state's various economic development groups should operate in a more concerted fashion.

After speaking to the Air and Waste Management Association Las Vegas Chapter on Wednesday at the Palace Station hotel-casino, she told reporters that she said she would work as governor creating common goals for what type of jobs should be created in the state.

She also called for legislation requiring companies to publicly disclose toxic substances that are being burned or are otherwise discarded and for tougher enforcement of laws on the books that limit such things as dust coming off construction sites.

Del Papa, Scherer duel

In their first face-to-face meeting of the campaign, Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa and GOP challenger Scott Scherer Wednesday tangled on the effectiveness of consumer protection programs in Nevada.

Scherer, a Las Vegas lawyer said, "We're spending a lot of money and not getting results."

He said Nevada is among the top 10 in the nation in insurance fraud and there is still the perception across the land that Nevada leads in telemarketing ripoffs.

"We need to focus more on prosecution and spend less time holding press conferences," Scherer told a meeting of the Washoe County Bar Association.

Del Papa defended the consumer programs, many of which she started. And she said the figures don't bear out the charges by Scherer. As Nevada has grown, she said, it has become necessary to start fraud units for Medicaid, workers compensation, telemarketing and insurance.

She said 50 percent of the complaints come from senior citizens. She added citizens in other states still need to be protected from unscrupulous operators in Nevada.

Del Papa said she enjoyed her job, wants a third term and time to complete many of the projects now under way.

Scherer questioned her commitment to the office because she had applied once to become chancellor of the university system and then backed down and then last year set up an exploratory committee to run for governor and then withdrew.

Del Papa, who has been in elective office for 18 years, indicated she did not favor term limits, saying the disadvantage is you "lose good people." Scherer, who served four years in the Assembly, said he favored term limits for state officials, saying eight years is enough for a person to hold the office.

Election warning

Residents who receive post-election polling calls concerning the Sequoia Pacific voting machines and the Republican Party's governor's race are advised to ignore them, say Clark County officials, the secretary of state's office and the state attorney general's office.

The automated call claims that the state is investigating the accuracy of the voting machines and asks voters to identify which candidate they voted for in last week's primary election.

The calls are completely unauthorized and unofficial. Residents may report any questionable calls to the secretary of state's office at (702) 687-3176.

Lee supports Hitt

Chuck Lee, who lost his primary bid for Clark County sheriff, has thrown his support to Bobby Hitt in the upcoming November general election.

Lee received 16,660 votes to Hitt's 20,108 votes. Sheriff Jerry Keller, in a landslide victory, grabbed 78,824 votes, or 61.74 percent of 536 precincts throughout Clark County.

Keller maintained a nearly 4-to-1 lead over Hitt in the primaries.

"Bobby and I have been friends for 28 years ...," Lee said in a written statement Tuesday. "We have similar ideas about what changes need to happen at Metro (Police), and I have encouraged Bobby to take a serious look at the specific proposals that I have outlined during the course of my campaign."

Hitt was unavailable for comment.

Candidate appearances

The National Council of Senior Citizens will meet Sept. 16 to hear from sheriff candidate Jerry Keller.

The meeting will be at 10 a.m. at the Clark County Library. Other candidates invited include, Judge Nancy Saitta, Assemblyman Dario Herrera and Sandra Pomrenze, a candidate for District Court Department 17.

The meeting at 1401 east Flamingo is open to members and non-members alike.

The Paradise Democratic Club will also hold a meeting Sept. 16 to hear from Judge Gary Redmon, who will speak about his candidacy for District 19 judge.

The meeting will be held at The Days Inn motel at 707 Fremont St. at 7:30 p.m.

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