Halverson ousted; Miley top vote-getter - News

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Aug. 13, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Halverson ousted; Miley top vote-getter

Incumbents Walsh, Mosley advance

By ADRIENNE PACKER
REVIEW-JOURNAL

While the Judicial Discipline Commission weighs the fate of embattled District Judge Elizabeth Halverson, voters delivered their own verdict Tuesday, deciding Halverson must go.

Halverson, who faces complaints of falling asleep on the bench and harassing her staff, received less than 10 percent of the vote, trailing opponents Stefany Miley and Jason Landess, who will move to the general election in November.

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A woman who declined to give her name as she walked out of Ruth Fyfe Elementary School said she and her husband specifically showed up at the polls to voice their displeasure with Halverson. The couple called her "goofy."

"I voted against her because of the recent happenings, her health issues ... everything," the woman said.

Voter Barbara Lloyd said she too wanted to be sure Halverson wasn't re-elected.

"I want her out of office," Lloyd said. "I haven't been impressed with her at all."

Halverson's run for office appeared to be bleak before she faced the discipline commission. According to her campaign contribution reports, she had $5,200 in her election coffers thanks to a loan from herself.

She could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Miley, who was elected to the Family Court in 2004, has been endorsed by the Police Protective Association, the Clark County Prosecutors Association and the Laborers' International Union of North America Local 702. Miley, who leads the way so far in campaign contributions collecting $144,340, received nearly 60 percent of the vote.

"Obviously I'm very excited," Miley said Tuesday evening as the results trickled in. "I've stayed active in the community even when I'm not campaigning, and I've gotten to know a lot of people.

"Tomorrow I will hit the ground running again and campaign just as hard until the day of the general election."

Landess was a distant second with 30 percent of the vote. He worked as a prosecutor in Orange County and has more than 25 years experience in complex litigation experience.

District Judge Jessie Walsh was given the opportunity to retain her Department 10 seat in a four-way race, although with 30 percent of the vote she fell second to attorney William Kephart. Kephart garnered about 35 percent.

"The community deserves better than it has received," Kephart said Tuesday. "The Halverson situation is as embarrassing as all get-out in the legal community.

"Some individuals get elected, get in there and think they're entitled to it. If they don't live up to their responsibility, they shouldn't stay there," he said.

If early campaigning is any indication, it appears the road to the November election might not be smooth for either candidate.

Leading up to Tuesday's primary race, Walsh pointed out that Kephart had been admonished for his behavior in the courtroom. Kephart said the community is not receiving fair representation from Walsh.

Attorney David Rivers finished third. Ian Christopherson, who acknowledged he was not going to actively campaign and only entered the race so that Walsh would have competition, backed his words, collecting no money from potential contributors.

District Judge Donald Mosley who touts himself as being tough on criminals, also advanced to the general election in Department 14. Mosley, who received a 56 percent retention rating in the Review-Journal's most recent Judicial Performance Evaluation survey, garnered the most votes out of three candidates.

Mosley received 47 percent of the vote and headed to a face-off with North Las Vegas Deputy City Attorney Chris Davis, who garnered 28 percent, in the general election.

Nevada Deputy Attorney General Kathleen Delaney received the most support in the race for Department 25 and will face Susan Scann in the general election.

Delaney served as assistant general counsel to The Mirage and general counsel for the Treasure Island Corp. in the 1990s when casinos were engaged in a civil rights battle with handbill distributors.

Delaney said she raised less money -- about $47,000 -- than three of her opponents because she planned to run a nontraditional race. She did not send out mailers or air television commercials. She posted signs and walked door-to-door.

"I feel you really need to connect with voters one-on-one so they get to know who their judges are," Delaney said.

Scann got 211 votes more than Suzan Baucum in unofficial results Tuesday.

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Please enter your name Name: Please enter your email Email: Please enter a comment COMMENTS : (word count limit is 300) You have reached the maximum number of words allowed Current Word Count: Note: Comments made by reporters and editors of the Las Vegas Review-Journal are presented with a yellow background. Love wrote on August 14, 2008 08:17 AM: you vote for someone who support and endorse by unions, that person don't work for you. that person will work for unions. you will be in limbo. You need to vote for someone who is independent and really love you. beenthere wrote on August 13, 2008 11:36 PM: Halverson was never a PRACTICING attorney...she built her "career" clerking for judges which is common for law school graduates to do for a year or two after law school...not make a career out of it. Halverson created her own problems from the unprofessional way that she ran her courtroom. For all the time that she spent clerking for judges, there should not have been a "learning curve" in courtroom protocol...the average person on the street knows that a judge cannot converse with the jury without attorneys present....just one example. Judge Miley has handled some sensitive cases with COMMON SENSE in family court, able to see past the manipulations of vindictive parents who were hell bent on using their children as tools to create misery for the other parent. I am looking forward to having a "fresh set of eyes" in criminal court to look at things with common sense. james wrote on August 13, 2008 10:11 PM: Can you believe that 9246 votes were cast for this moron Havlerson. Must have been the same ones that thought they were showing up to vote for obama..Not lets see if she files a claim for unemployment..What a joke this gal is..You think? Vic wrote on August 13, 2008 05:39 PM: Pretty soon Lizzie will stop posting because she will be gone. Lizzie, you give yourself away every day. It's always Hardcastle... wah wah... Spoor...wah wah or Cherry. The voters have spoken. No one wants to hear it. It doesn't matter how many pen names you use on this site, we aren't fooled. If it isn't Halverson posting, then quit complaining about Hardcastle and use your energy to get behind a candidate to run against her. If she's so bad, why didn't anyone run against her? Captain Obvious wrote on August 13, 2008 12:08 PM: Nancy Please get your story straight. It said she was a HUGE Case, and her last name was LaMuncher. Please let's get this thing over with already. And I agree 10% voted for her????? Al Charlatan wrote on August 13, 2008 11:46 AM: hillobamacain- Funny you mention people showing up. There were more than a couple morons at my polling place that were bewildered that they were'nt able to vote for president! Their lack of class and eloquence in dealing with the poll volunteers betrayed their choice of candidate as well. Idiots... hillobamacain wrote on August 13, 2008 10:41 AM: 10%? you are being generous milan,i wonder how many people did show up yesterday thinking they were going to vote for obam.. i mean vote in the presidential election, the registar said there were a lot of po'ed people no wonder it is so easy for ding-a-lings like halverson to get elected when these morons get a voter registration card its a wonder they can read the ballot MILAN wrote on August 13, 2008 10:21 AM: HALVERSON GOT 10% OF THE VOTE. JUST PROVES THAT OVER ALL 10% OF THE POPULATION ARE IDIOTS OUR ELSE THEY ARE ON DRUGS. Nancy wrote on August 13, 2008 10:08 AM: Las Vegas Eyes - Read the paper. Halverson had a huge judgment in California under her maiden name (Lamancha?) which was obtained after she fraudulently put her sister in a rent controlled apartment in San Fran. She took that case to the California Supreme Court where they not only upheld the award but added attorney's fees and costs. So - before you go off on folks READ! Joey wrote on August 13, 2008 10:01 AM: Just curious - how do fat pigs like Halverson wipe their behinds? It's physically impossible! Read All Comments