Ethics panel issues censure against Gates

CARSON CITY -- The state Ethics Commission issued a public censure Tuesday of Clark County Commissioner Yvonne Atkinson Gates for using her position to further her business interest at Strip hotels and then making misleading statements about it.

"The evidence showed that Ms. Atkinson Gates attempted to trade on the special access and privileges accorded her as the chairwoman of the Clark County Commission by contacting directly the chief executives of numerous casinos to solicit lease space for her personal daiquiri business," the decision said.

The ethics board, at an earlier public meeting, had reached the same decision.

Gates joined Ed Nigro and David Briggs to open flavored daiquiri shops in Strip hotels.

The ethics commission first looked into the case in September 1997. At that hearing, it said her testimony was "not entirely sincere and truthful."

She testified she had no active participation in the business and Nigro handled everything. But the commission in January found that she actively called top-level executives at the resorts about leasing space for the business. She sought space at Venetian, New York-New York and Circus Circus properties.

Gates also testified she had been advised by the Clark County District Attorney's office that she would not be in a conflict of interest and could vote on gaming applications. But the opinion from the district attorney's office actually told Gates she would be in "apparent conflict of interest if you were to vote on a gaming or liquor license, which would be located on the same premises." It recommended she disclose her interest and refrain from voting.

Ethics Commission Chairman Mary Boetsch, who wrote the opinion, said, "Her misleading testimony regarded substantive factual questions necessary for this commission to properly evaluate and advise her regarding her question," about the conflict of interest issue.

Gates used her position to gain "direct access to the top executives at major hotel-casinos that her business competitors would not have had. As the evidence showed, time and again Ms. Atkinson Gates first telephone call to a given casino was a call straight to the top ...," the panel said.

The commission found, however, that her contacts with these top officials was "heavy handed."

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