Democrats blast opponents in forum

Statewide candidates address standing-room-only crowd

Democratic Attorney General candidate John Hunt and Controller candidate John Lee blasted their Republican opponents, in a candidates' forum sponsored by the Pahrump Democratic Club Aug. 15.

Hunt and Lee were among a number of statewide candidates who addressed a standing-room-only crowd of 200 people at the Pahrump Community Center in the biggest candidate forum before the Sept. 3 primary. Candidates for other state offices, like fifth district judge and Assembly District 36, also took the lectern.

Hunt said he moved to Las Vegas in 1976 after serving in the Air Force. A University of Nevada, Las Vegas accounting graduate, Hunt said he worked for the Gaming Control Board during tumultuous times when the Aladdin was closed for skimming violations and the Stardust was sanctioned.

"You won't get a dance from me, I'll answer straight up," Hunt said.

In 1988, Hunt said he started his own law firm, which represents a cross-section of clients, including University Medical Center, Union Pacific Railroad. He was prosecutor for the state dental board for 12 years.

"I think it's about time we have an attorney general who's an attorney, not an administrator waiting to be governor," Hunt said. "The attorney general has one client and one client alone, and that's the people."

"I see so many abuses of people in the rural areas," he said. "I have not run for political office before and that is an asset. I don't owe anybody anything."

"I think it's insanity this community doesn't have a hospital because up in Reno the governor and all those people put up so many roadblocks," Hunt said.

A former aide for Sen. Howard Cannon, Hunt predicted if Cannon had been re-elected in 1983, the Yucca Mountain bill would've never been passed.

When it comes to Yucca Mountain and the scientific scepticism surrounding it, Hunt said, "Although Congress wouldn't answer those 293 questions, I'm going to make them answer every question in a court of law."

He charged his opponent, Republican Brian Sandoval, with taking money from proponents of nuclear power, like former Gov. Robert List, who is a paid lobbyist for the industry.

Recalling his father, who gave him 90 days after graduation to get a job or join the military, Hunt said, "If people are just picking up a paycheck because they're bureaucrats, they're leaving."

Lee said he worked his way up from a dishwasher in North Las Vegas at 19 years old and now owns Las Vegas Plumbing. He said his company installed the plumbing for Rosemary Clarke Middle School, and in the addition to Pahrump Valley High School.

Lee charged the state controller with neglecting oversight of the office.

"Right now, we're owed millions and millions by corporations and people in the state," Lee said. After 90 days, delinquent accounts are turned over to a collection agency, he said which keeps 50 percent for accounts due over $25,000. "How can we solve the budget in this state if we're giving all this to a collection agency?"

Lee said it sometimes takes two years for the Nevada Department of Transportation to issue permits, referring to the dispute over a Highway 160 drainage project on the proposed Wal-Mart store. More of those state services need to be brought to southern Nevada, he said adding, "Pahrump is probably the fastest growing dilemma in the state."

When asked about collecting Nye County's share of royalties, the subject of a lawsuit by Nye County against the state of Nevada, Lee said, "it's an in-state thing. They don't want to turn that money over to you. The whole state of Nevada is benefitting from your natural resources."

Republican District 36 Assembly candidate Shelley Wadsworth Hartmann said she's a fifth generation Nevadan who fought for the family ranch.

"It took 20 years of battles to get our water back from the state of Nevada," Hartmann said. She now wears a few hats as community planner, economic development director and zoning administrator in rural Lincoln County.

Hartmann called the Endangered Species Act the greatest threat to private property rights in the U.S. "Until you get as passionate about my property rights as about those critters, you've got no solution," she said.

Hartmann said the state Legislature creates too many laws. She suggested state lawmakers kill two laws for every one they create. She added Nye County still has 700 mining jobs and needs to ensure it receives its fair share of mining proceeds.

Democratic Assembly 36 candidate Roy Mankins said he's lived in Pahrump since 1954, when outhouses were still common. Mankins said he's very concerned about schools. When senior citizens complain they have to pay for schools they don't use, Mankins noted he'll probably pay more in property taxes this year than many other people in town.

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas business graduate said economic development is important for rural Nevada, but not at a cost. He said the Wal-Mart will displace 200 workers in Pahrump who make $55,000-$60,000 per year and replace them with 400 workers making $18,000 per year with no benefits.

"I'm not sure that's the economic development we really need," Mankins said.

"We have a real problem with health care and it's only going to get worse," Mankins said. He said Rural Health Management Corp. proposed to build a 25-bed hospital because it would be eligible for more federal funding for a hospital with 25 beds or less. In referring to RHMC's management of Pahrump Medical Center, Mankins cautioned, "We all know how Rural Health has treated us."

When asked whether Pahrump still fitted Hartmann's definition of "rural Nevada," Mankins replied all of Nye County is rural. Hartmann said she's glad Pahrump has some population base to counter the political pull of 1.3 million people in Clark County.

"You're all going to be rural because you're all freedom junkies," Hartmann told the audience.

In the Fifth District judicial race, incumbent Robert Lane said he fulfilled the promises of his 2000 campaign. Lane said he quickly cut a backlog of cases on the civil calendar, cut the district court budget, started a drug court and the Court Appointed Special Advocate program.

"I've been respectful and friendly to everyone who's come into the courtroom," Lane said. "I don't have arrogance or attitude."

Judicial candidate Sharon Dockter said she wanted to stop the rumor she's too young: she's 45 years-old, older than her boss, District Attorney Bob Beckett. A University of Washington law school graduate, Dockter said she started law school later in life and had the opportunity to be a clerk for a district judge.

"We can't promise you anything," Dockter said. "I promise to be fair and impartial."

Democratic judge candidate Laurel Duffy said she's been a trial attorney for 14 years who's practiced in federal court and state court, handling civil cases and criminal cases, representing defendants with lots of money and indigent defendants. The attorney general's insurance fraud unit where she works has the highest rate of prosecution of any attorney general's department, she said.

While she agreed with Dockter the most important qualification for judicial candidates is to be fair and impartial, Duffy added, "What it takes to be fair and impartial is lots of experience. Then you can say that you have seen all sides."


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