Vegas Mayor's
Race Could Become Class Warfare
Union support could be decisive
factor
INSIDE VEGAS by Steve Miller
AmericanMafia.com
April 11, 2011
.
Oscar and Carolyn Goodman
Chris Giunchigliani and supporters
LAS VEGAS - The upcoming election of a
new Mayor of Las Vegas is attracting international
attention.
The outcome of the race may for the first
time in our city's history be based on the United States citizenship qualifications
of many newly registered voters, and which candidate has won the favor
of the powerful local unions.
On primary election night, Carolyn Goodman
(72) came in first place based on her name recognition, attractive appearance,
and her husband's rock star popularity. During her campaign, she touted
her background of "educator, school administrator, and non-politician."
However, now that a veteran public school
teacher-turned-politician named Chris Giunchigliani (54) is Goodman's opponent
in the general election, this could turn into a contest based on class
warfare, and whether Goodman can convince voters that she's not "her husband's
keeper."
Goodman's educator status may be challenged
inasmuch as she was the administrator of the for-profit Meadows School
that caters to the richest kids in town and charges a minimum of
$13,000 per year tuition, while Giunchigliani taught average kids in our
public school system.
Carolyn has a foot up on Chris for not
being a professional politician, and that's a desirable quality in a country
that has become sick and tired of politician's shenanigans.
Giunchigliani served many years as a Nevada
state assembly woman and Clark County Commissioner, and to long time voters,
experience still counts.
Both women live in older neighborhoods
within the core of the city and that's a good thing because downtown has
just recently begun coming back to life, at least in the areas of East
Fremont Street, and the Arts District near East Charleston and Main Street.
Both areas are showing real promise with new bars, restaurants, and art
galleries. Now it will be up to the new mayor to find ways of energizing
the fading glory once known as Casino Center, an area that was all but
abandoned by Oscar's predecessor Mayor
Jan Jones and her mentor Steve
Wynn.
Carolyn's alter ego Oscar has brought some
new high tech, retail, and medical industry into other parts of downtown
specifically the Union Pacific site in spite of his bad boy mob lawyer
persona, drinking
on the job, and the city's less than desirable "What happens here stays
here" and "Sin City" image that probably has turned off many other prospective
new business owners. But despite his accomplishments, Oscar's controversial
push to build a new unneeded city hall in the middle of a recession without
the voter's approval, and his former mob clientele may carry over to hurt
his wife's chances on June 7.
Las Vegas SUN editorial cartoon by Mike Smith
Las Vegas Tribune editorial cartoon
.
.
Goodman and former clients
(top L to R) Tony
Spilotro, Herb
Blitzstein, drug trafficker Jimmy
Chagra,
(bottom L to R) Joey
Cusumano, impeached Federal Court Judge
Harry Claiborne
TV coverage of both contender's victory
parties showed the basis of their support in relation to our citizen's
ethnicity and degree of wealth. The supporters surrounding Goodman were
pictured as mostly affluent white and middle aged. The majority of supporters
surrounding Giunchigliani were pictured as predominantly young minority
persons.
A
huge
turnout of newly registered Nevada voters with Hispanic
surnames during the 2010 Nevada election gave Senator
Harry Reid a big advantage based on his purported support of the "Dream
Act."
That said, it's possible Giunchigliani
could overwhelm Goodman if the same voters vote in mass once again. However,
as
may be the case in Colorado, Nevadans are also becoming increasingly
suspicious of the citizenship qualifications of many newly registered voters.
But it's too late to purge the local voter registration rolls before the
June 7 general election, and Nevada Secretary of State Ross Miller and
Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez-Masto have shown no appetite to
do so, or to prosecute possible felony committing offenders who may be
insensitive to, misinformed, or unaware of our state's voter registration
law (NRS 293.800) pertaining to U.S. citizenship even though two warnings
are printed in red ink on the voter registration form.
First time voters can register on-line
in Nevada with no proof of citizenship required. Their word is considered
sacrosanct. Nevada voter registration applications and ballots are printed
in English and Spanish for non-English speaking voters. No other languages
are offered. Registrants are simply asked: "Are you a citizen of the United
States?" or "Es ciudadano de los Estados Unidos?" and to click "Yes" or
"Si" to be allowed to complete the online registration process. Identification
is also not required to be shown at the polls. New voters are simply taken
on their word that they are United States citizens, and this is beginning
to cause great concern in hyper-growing states like Colorado, Arizona,
California, and Nevada.
It was estimated that the Las Vegas Culinary
Union bussed over 26,000 new voters to the polls on November 2, 2010.
Paso 2 de la inscripción
en línea para votar - Confirme los requisitos de inscripción
Confirme que cumple con
todos los requisitos para inscribirse en línea para votar. ADVERTENCIA:
La falsificación de su inscripción es un delito mayor de
categoría E (NRS 293.800).
1) Usted estará viviendo
en el condado donde se está inscribiendo en la fecha de la próxima
elección.
Sí
No
2) Tiene una licencia de
manejar o tarjeta de identificación válida emitida por el
DMV de Nevada.
Sí
No
3) Es ciudadano de los Estados
Unidos. (The question regarding U.S. citizenship)
Sí
No
4) No está inscrito
para votar actualmente en ningún otro condado del estado de Nevada.
Sí
No
5) Tendrá por lo menos
18 años de edad en la fecha de la próxima elección.
Sí
No
ALERTA: La falsificación de su inscripción es
un delito mayor de categoría E (NRS 293.800).
https://nvsos.gov/SOSVoterServices/Registration/Step2.aspx |
Nonetheless, based on Goodman's 37% compared
to over 46% who voted for her closest three contenders (Giunchigliani received
17%, Larry Brown received 17%, Victor Chaltiel received 12%), Goodman did
not receive a mandate as many pundits expected.
Also, there's a strong distaste for dynasty
building in Las Vegas. If Carolyn is elected, the Goodman's could hold
on to the mayoralty for up to 24 years based on 12 year term limits, and
that's troubling to some.
Giunchigliani is a Culinary Union favorite
and a die hard progressive who favors legalizing
marijuana.
Carolyn Goodman is an unknown commodity
with a husband who brags about his mob ties once saying "he
would rather his daughter date a prominent mobster than an FBI agent,"
and that downtown motels should be turned into "beautiful
brothels." Oscar Goodman captured the heart of long time Las Vegas
residents with his schtick, but it may also have turned off high tech entrepreneurs
looking to relocate their companies to our city.
Even without the support of long time Las
Vegans, it's extremely possible that Giunchigliani could pull off a surprise
victory if the union decides to again bus their members to the polls. Las
Vegas municipal elections are famous for their low turn out, and the upcoming
mayoral could easily be overwhelmed by new voters if my suspicion holds
true.
Long time city voters are praying that
Oscar and Carolyn Goodman will prove that opposites attract. If Carolyn
Goodman is successful in proving she's not a reincarnation of her husband
-- and enough long time voters turn out -- our city may have a bright future.
If not, Las Vegas may soon join San Francisco as another "Sanctuary
City."
It's tough to chose between such controversial
candidates. At this point in the race, the winner is too close to call.
MORE INFORMATION:
Mayor Wants Brothels
Downtown
while his wife promotes
"self, family,
and community" in
the burbs
Oscar and Carolyn Goodman
clearly
prove that opposites
attract
"The school seeks to
instill in its students the concept that education carries with it an obligation
to self, family, and community, encouraging each student to become a compassionate
and productive member of society." - excerpt from the Philosophy of the
Meadows School, Carolyn Goodman - Chairwoman, Board of Trustees
"It would turn old
motels into beautiful brothels." - Oscar Goodman - Mayor of Las Vegas
on legalizing prostitution (Las Vegas SUN, 10/24/03)
"The crack head girls,
they go 10. I start at 50 (dollars) and up." - Donna Mirin - streetwalker
(KVBC TV News, 10/23/03)
(Oscar) Goodman supporter and prostitute
Donna Mirin on East Fremont Street
(KVBC TV News - October 23,
2003)
INSIDE
VEGAS by Steve Miller
American Mafia.com
October 27, 2003
FULL COLUMN: http://www.americanmafia.com/inside_vegas/10-27-03_Inside_Vegas.html
