If you haven't heard , Prive nightclub at Planet Hollywood lost its liquor license last week. The LV Sun reports that "the Gaming Control Board slapped Planet Hollywood with a $500,000 fine to settle claims the casino knew or should have known about illegal acts — drug use, underage drinking and assault — at Prive."Desperately looking to save itself from extinction, Prive turned to attorney Jay Brown [on the right in picture] of Singer & Brown, LLC for it's liquor license salvation. (LV Sun) So who is Jay Brown?
The LV Sun describes him as an attorney with "juice" in Las Vegas who "over three decades has earned a reputation as an influential advocate in local government circles". During the 70s and early 80s (i.e. Vegas mob years), Jay Brown was counsel for the Tropicana casino/hotel. Later, he was counsel for some of the more notorious Vegas mobsters (along with our current mayor, Oscar Goodman). Three decades of influence of Vegas usually comes with a certain ethical or moral stain, but we still haven't found anyone stating that Mr. Brown is anything other than an attorney plugged in to the heart of Vegas politics and casinos. Either way, he is definitely old school Vegas and very politically plugged in. (See campaign donations here)
Professionally, Mr. Brown has a rather low profile on the web. Lawyers.com has a fairly sparse profile, listing him as admitted in 1970 to the Nevada Bar, practicing in the areas of zoning, corporate and business law. Martindale.com gives Mr. Brown a BV peer review rating. Beyond that, his firm has no web presence.
But when you google "Jay Brown Las Vegas," a massive number of links tying Jay Brown to alleged payoffs, alleged mafia connections and alleged corruption in government. In 2006, RJ columnist Jane Ann Morrison's reported on the mystery surrounding who paid former Clark County Commissioner, later felon, Dario Herrera's legal fees in his corruption trial. (RJ) Mr. Brown's name came up in testimony in Herrera's trial from strip club owner Michael Galardi, who stated he didn't know how the money he paid Mr. Brown for lobbying was used. (RJ). In 2007, he represented Crazy Horse Too in its attempts to get an extension on its liquor license after former owner with mob-ties, Rick Rizzolo pled guilty on federal charges. (RJ)
Then there's the conspiracy websites. According to the theories, Mr. Brown is the man that made Senator Harry Reid rich (Canada Free Press), a business partner to Harry Reid (LasVegasVegas.com) and funnelled mob money to Harry Reid (Free Republic).
What do you think, readers? Is Jay Brown simply good corporate counsel at the heart of Vegas politics or old school Vegas corruption with a bar number?
