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Dec. 15, 2007
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Panel clears mayor

Ethics allegation found without merit

By ALAN CHOATE
REVIEW-JOURNAL

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman did not give the Crazy Horse Too topless club special treatment and an ethics allegation against him is without merit, according to a Nevada Commission on Ethics report.

"I didn't do anything wrong," Goodman said Friday. "I assumed it would turn out that way."

The allegation was filed by former Las Vegas City Councilman Steve Miller.

"Whether they felt it was a valid request for opinion or not, it kept the mayor from helping his friends at the Crazy Horse," Miller said. "I'm glad I filed it. I'm glad the mayor kept his nose out of it."

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    • Miller's complaint said Goodman did not take disciplinary action against the Crazy Horse Too from 2002 to 2006 because of his connections to the club through his old law practice. It also noted that Goodman received a $40,000 campaign contribution from the club's owner.

    Goodman also was the resident agent in the 1980s for the corporation that owns the club.

    The Crazy Horse Too is closed and for sale now, and its owner, Rick Rizzolo, is in prison after pleading guilty to tax evasion.

    In his response, Goodman said there wasn't sufficient cause to go after the club until after a federal investigation ended with felony guilty pleas last year.

    The Las Vegas City Council voted in September 2006 to revoke the club's liquor license and impose a $2.2 million fine. Goodman abstained from that proceeding because his former law partner represented one of the club's employees.

    In announcing its decision, the ethics commission said there was no evidence that Goodman used his position to influence the outcome of complaints against the Crazy Horse Too. It also found that the campaign contribution was not "disproportionate" and that Goodman had properly abstained from the matter.



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    Joe Greenwood wrote on December 15, 2007 08:46 PM: Way to go people. Keep re-electing Oscar (I never met a hood I didn't like) Goodman. Las Vegas is a circus and he's the head clown. Every day I'm more thankful I retired and left town.


    Shaking my head wrote on December 15, 2007 03:04 PM: Pay-ola = Scam-ola!
    The system is corrupt! Nevada Commission on Ethics has no ethics.


    Mike Christ wrote on December 15, 2007 02:54 PM: The so-called "Ethics Commission" has an excellent attorney....But WHY? They certainly didn't LISTEN to him regarding "Don Oscar" Goodman's ethical lapses. Goodman should be Rizzolo's cellmate rather than his attorney. But, as the saying goes: "No bad deed will go unrewarded." Goodman skates again.
    What else is new?
    The Ethics Commission's attorney should seek employment in the private sector. He's much too talented to be wasted on
    this toothless, chicken, and itself unethical body.
    And the beat goes on.....

    Mike Christ


    Bob Beers wrote on December 15, 2007 02:42 PM: There seems to be a consistent attitude throughout Nevada's Government and Law Enforcement...do not punish the rich and powerful unless we are absolutly foced to do so. This idea that we can simply ignore past wrongs and "move forward with better intentions" is as limp-wristed as can possibly be. It is high time this state's lawmakers, judges and law enforcement took the politically incorrect attitude that the people who have voted us into office deserve a law-abiding state. That is what we promised, isn't it?


    sam dehne wrote on December 15, 2007 01:04 PM: Las Vegas... and Nevada... and Nevada Gvmt...
    are an Indictment... and simultaneous Conviction...
    of America.
    That human beings would pay to go to Nevada...
    and gamble away their money is disgusting and is
    proof positive of eventual (deserved) Doom.


    Steve Miller wrote on December 15, 2007 12:41 PM: Though the Las Vegas City Attorney agreed that the mayor had serious conflicts of interest and advised him to abstain on votes benefiting the Crazy Horse Too, the Nevada Commission on Ethics found nothing wrong with him voting to help his friend Rick Rizzolo and other former and current clients of his law firm.

    Goodman in his response to my Request for Opinion stated that he relied on his (flunky) Jim DiFiore, City Director of Business Activity, to find grounds to bring the Crazy Horse before the council to prove why they deserved to keep their privileged license after beatings and racketeering caused the indictment of Rizzolo and 16 of his goons.

    Mr. DiFiore (obediently) found no grounds to question the bar's license.

    In 1990, mob attorney Oscar Goodman got Rizzolo off with a gross misdemeanor after beating Rick Sandlin to death with a baseball bat. At the time Goodman was well known for charging his clients $500,000 to take a case.

    Goodman states in his response that he wasn't aware his law partner David Chesnoff was representing Bonnono Crime Family member Vinny Faraci at the time when the Crazy Horse should have been shut down by the council. Yea. Sure. OK.

    When I filed the Opinion Request, I knew from past performance that the Ethics Commission was probably going to let him off. But since I filed the Request, at least he abstained.

    Unfortunately, he also went underground and bullied his council from behind closed doors to continue helping Rizzolo, et. al.

    Now he can preside when the new (old?) owner comes before the council for a license, even if one of his law partners represents the guy.

    Congratulations Nevada Commission on Ethics!


    David wrote on December 15, 2007 12:25 PM: The scum keeps rising to the top. When will Las Vegans scrape the scum for our pond and vote in some fresh faces to bring back integrity to our valley government?


    KK wrote on December 15, 2007 10:08 AM: THIS WHOLE CLAN IS CORRUPT, VOTE ALL OF THEM OUT. HOW MANY WOMEN WERE SUPPLIED TO GOODMAN THRU THE CLUB ? HEY GOODMAN, WHERE IS JOE BLASKO ?


    jo wrote on December 15, 2007 10:00 AM: What a surprise. LOL


    Bobby V. Luker wrote on December 15, 2007 04:29 AM: $40,000 is not "disproportionate??hhmm