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North Las Vegas police union files ethics complaint against Ward 4 councilman
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Richard Cherchio
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LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Updated: Mar. 30, 2011 | 7:43 a.m.
North Las Vegas' police union this week fired the latest salvo in its war against Councilman Richard Cherchio.
The city's Police Officers Association on Monday sent a complaint about Cherchio to the state that alleged the councilman, who is campaigning to maintain his Ward 4 seat, committed an ethics violation by distributing a campaign flier that contained the image of a uniformed North Las Vegas police officer.
The flier "creates the impression that the men and women of the North Las Vegas Police Department support Mr. Cherchio in his campaign," the complaint said. The union has endorsed Wade Wagner, one of Cherchio's two opponents in the race.
The complaint cited a March 2009 opinion from North Las Vegas' city attorney that said pictures of police or fire personnel should be used in campaign advertising only if they are not in uniform.
Cherchio fired back on Tuesday, saying that he did nothing wrong and that the union is continuing its smear campaign against him.
"There are no ethics violations here," he said. "This is purposeful misinformation designed to discredit me. It doesn't matter, at the end of the day, whether it's true or not. It puts doubts in people's minds, and that's the union's purpose."
The flier includes a picture of Cherchio receiving an award from North Las Vegas Police Capt. Frank DeMartino for his participation in a police citizens advisory council. Cherchio said the photograph was taken at an event before he was appointed to the council in 2009 to replace Shari Buck, who was elected mayor. DeMartino gave permission to use the photo, Cherchio said.
The flier said Cherchio is "trusted by our community's finest to protect and deliver."
The union has been campaigning against Cherchio, who voted in favor of laying off corrections officers and who butted heads with union leaders during contract concession talks. The police union has joined with the city's firefighter union to go door to door against Cherchio, making political hay out of an earlier ethics complaint filed against the councilman.
The earlier complaint, which was filed by a citizen, involved Cherchio's failure to disclose several properties he owns, as required by law. That matter has been resolved by the state's Ethics Commission, which found the violation was not willful. No penalty was assessed against Cherchio.
Mike Yarter, president of the police union, admitted in January that the campaign was more about payback than about the complaint.
"We committed a few months back that if any of these City Council people were to lay off our employees or threaten to lay them off, we need to make sure the citizens are aware public safety isn't priority number one with these people," Yarter said at the time.
When asked why the unions weren't targeting the three other council members who also voted in favor of laying off corrections officers, Yarter said Cherchio "is the one coming up for election."
On Tuesday, Cherchio said he is only at fault "for trying to balance the budget for the sake" of North Las Vegas residents.
"I'm guilty of that," he said.
The Ethics Commission does not confirm that a complaint has been filed until it has been investigated and a panel has determined whether there is sufficient cause to hold a hearing. The process can take 60 or 70 days. The general election is scheduled for June 7.
When asked whether a campaign flier depicting a councilman receiving an award from a uniformed police officer would constitute a state ethics violation, Caren Jenkins, the commission's executive director, said, "Nothing's coming to mind."
It doesn't sound like such a photograph was staged to mislead the public or was posed for purposes of the campaign, she said.
"It's memorializing something that actually happened," she said. "If the officer wasn't in uniform (specifically) to support the campaign, no yellow lights are going off in my head."
Contact reporter Lynnette Curtis at lcurtis@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0285.
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Plastron, what a classy guy you are. How about this for a new low: Richard Cherchio in another term as City Member for ward 4.
You can cal it smear all you want but those are facts that you Bobjack, Meisenheimer, Bob Borgenson cant deny.
As a voter I believe that the safety of the public is priority #1. The few in the minority who dont believe this probably tried out for the Police and Fire Departments but couldnt pass because you decided to do one of the following: domestic violence, DUI, Felony arrest or were just too mentally handicapped.
I am sure you can pick which category you guys fall in.
I understand its what you really wanted to do but everyone has a place in society.
@ vote them out - Name calling . . ??? My last post was a direct quote from an article if you're inferring something in there... The POA & FF Union have sunk to a new low with their smear campaign, that also is a fact ("I'm not giving my opinion just facts.") They want to be able to control the election results so they will always have Mayor Buck clones in office, clones that will (just like the Mayor) put them on pedestals so high up that they will be completely untouchable. And I truly believe the majority of voters out there aren't going to let that happen. Hey, it's not like anyone is trying to take away their paid lunch hours and their half-off and/or free meals. Come on......
Police Department’s Northwest Area Command honored Cherchio for his dedication to law enforcement
North Las Vegas, Nev – Today, Wade Wagner’s special interest allies reached a new low, filing a complaint alleging that it is somehow an ethics violation for Councilman Richard Cherchio to promote that he was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation by the North Las Vegas Police Department’s Northwest Area Command.
“The fact of the matter is, I was awarded an accommodation by the North Las Vegas Police Department for my community service, and we advertised that in a campaign flier,” said Cherchio. “A friend of mine took the picture of me receiving the award, I asked the officer who gave me the award if it was ok to use the picture, and he enthusiastically gave me the go ahead.”
“I can’t imagine why these special interests think it’s a crime to serve your community and be recognized by organizations like the North Las Vegas Police Department for your service,” continued Cherchio.
Cherchio recently received the endorsements of the North Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce. Both groups cited Cherchio’s efforts to balance the City Budget by cutting $135 million since 2009, and fighting to bring public employee salaries under control as the key reasons for their endorsements.
“Wade Wagner wants to raise your taxes, but he can’t offer specifics as to why and admits that he doesn’t even have a ballpark idea of what the city budget is. He says he will bring businesses to North Las Vegas, but not one of his four businesses is located here.”
“Wagner’s confused and fundamentally dishonest campaign is setting a new low for North Las Vegas voters. He ought to be ashamed of himself,” concluded Richard Cherchio.
@ vote them out - Pretty much figure, after reading your comments, that you are a NLV police officer, or are married to one, or related to one, or very good friends with one; and of course you have a right to your own opinion. And that's just what it is, your "opinion." I tried to post something the other day - guess it got knocked out. I'll try to re-post it next. It would do a lot to clear the air on the PD officer's picture in the flier. Hmm, wonder how much lower the POA will sink before this election is over with.
You defend cherchio for spending $300,000 on 80 golf carts in the worst economy since the great depression and somehow I'm wrong for suggesting taxpayers to vote for someone else? Wow!
Infrmd, so your point is cherchio bought $300,000 and that's supposed to be a "good deal"? How about they purchase zero golf carts for $0 and the taxpayers save $300,000!
Also the police chief was Joe Forti, not mark paresi who was allowed to be bought out by cherchio. The same police chief that is now campaigning for cherchio. Conflict of interest? Yes!
Ok here we go again. Go to NLV website council meetings 10/15/10 Item "23" golf carts. the city leases 80 golf carts at $5900.00 each per month or $70,800.00 per year with 1 year remaining on the contract. Average repairs $1,000.00 each per year or $80,000.00. Replace batteries on 80 carts per year $56,000.00. After lease the city had an option to buy these used carts for $1,950.00 each or $156,000.00 for a total of $362,000.00 or purchase new carts for $334,000.00 with a trade in value of $156,000.00. The complete story can be found at the above website. Former Police Chief Mark Paresi left the city of NLV in 2008, check city council minutes 1/02/08 pages 19 and 20. The shill knows that Mr. Cherchio was not appointed until July 2009. I agree please attend City Council meetings our city needs eyes watching everyone. Vote them out, I appreciate your passion but get your facts straight and tell the whole story.
Cherchio also "forgot" to disclose over 1.2 million in property on his campaign form. He claimed to have been told not to include it on his form by a city staff member. Yeah sure! Who believes that lie. You just didn't want the voters to know that you have a pile of money that your sitting on. I'm sure you earned it at your high paying postman job.
The the citizens in nlv will be the real losers if cherchio wins.