Tarkanian denies abuse of power

Clark County School District Trustee Lois Tarkanian spent a long day Tuesday on the witness stand at her civil trial denying she meddled in district hiring and promotion decisions or improperly influenced other matters.

She claimed at the opening day of the trial before District Judge Mark Gibbons that she is the victim of a "vendetta" by district administrators but denied that she is carrying out a vendetta of her own in an effort to control who runs the district.

Tarkanian will return to the witness stand when the trial continues on Thursday for more questioning by attorney Marty Kravitz, who represents the Clark County Association of School Administrators, which filed the lawsuit against Tarkanian.

Tarkanian freely admitted questioning decisions by Superintendent Brian Cram and other administrators and told the judge she considers that to be part of her responsibility, but she said she was careful not to step over the line.

She denied Kravitz's allegations that she opposed some promotions -- including a promotion over her own daughter.

Cram is scheduled to be the second witness in the case.

Tarkanian testified that while her daughter is employed by the district, she tries to keep her family life separate from her elected position.

Questioning on Tuesday focused on whether Tarkanian used her position or the power of her name to muscle hirings, promotions and transfers and obtain information others couldn't get.

She conceded her name and position could open doors and elicit information quickly, but she denied taking advantage of the situation.

The lawsuit was filed two years ago alleging Tarkanian violated ethics and opening meeting laws and micro-managed operations when her job was only to set policy and authorize expenditures.

One of the allegations is that Tarkanian influenced Cram to promote Ken Bedrosian to principal of Cimarron-Memorial High School when he was not the superintendent's first choice.

In pushing Bedrosian, Tarkanian is said to have mentioned that it was "about time we had an Armenian principal," according to Kravitz.

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