Motion Denied

Yesterday, Clark County commissioners voted 5-2 and denied the Clark County court system's request to hire former state Assemblyman Morse Arberry as a lobbyist. From the LV Sun:

Some commissioners said they opposed the courts or anyone else using public funds to hire a lobbyist for the state Legislature.

Other commissioners said they didn't mind the court system having a lobbyist but opposed hiring a former assemblyman without a "cooling-off" period. Arberry resigned his post in the Assembly last week.

In the end, only commissioners Tom Collins and Lawrence Weekly voted in favor of the court's request.

Commission Chairman Rory Reid came down on both Chief Judge Arthur Ritchie and Chief Judge Ann Zimmerman for their rather simplistic "because I can" arguments ... right before the democratic candidate for governor apparently turned into a racist:

Former state Sen. Joe Neal came to the meeting to speak in support of Arberry, but was told by Reid that he wouldn't be allowed to speak until the public comment period.

“I have tremendous respect for you, but I can’t offer a senator a special privilege. This isn’t a public hearing,” Reid said.

When the time for public comment arrived nearly two hours later, Neal got up and condemned the commissioners, saying they neglected to consider all of the facts involved in the decision and discriminated against Arberry, who is black, because of his race.

“You didn’t take it into consideration because he was a black person, and you did not allow me to come up and speak because I sit there as a black person,” Neal said.

Playing the Ace of Race on a gubernatorial candidate ... priceless.

Looking past the county commissions' clear racial bias (if you can), why does the court need a lobbyist? Remember: "because they can" is not an appropriate answer.

(LV Sun)

RJC Snitches Get Stitches

Apparently, the higher-ups didn't appreciate the RJ's recent article concerning flaws with the RJC security camera system. So, what's a whistleblower to do when the passive-aggressive emails start flying? Send the emails to the RJ, of course.

It all started when Chief District Judge T. Arthur Ritchie Jr. "chastised" Judge Susan Johnson - who chairs the courthouse security committee - for talking to the RJ about the camera issue:

"I assume you meant well, but you were specifically told that you were not authorized to address this issue for the court," Ritchie wrote. "I am disappointed that you would take it upon yourself to address this issue in this way. ... We will see whether your approach makes this better or worse for the court."

Uh oh. Chief Ritchie is "disappointed," but SJ wasn't about to take Ritchie's little lecture lying down:

Johnson responded that, "You never informed me I was not authorized to address this issue for the court. Your response was ... that you would 'handle this,' which you did not do. Further, while I respect your role as chief judge, you have no authority to instruct me or any district judge that he or she cannot speak to the media without your consent."

Snap! Beautiful and feisty - how bout them apples, Chief?

Next, Chief Justice of the Peace Ann Zimmerman jumped into the "Reply All" pool to defend her fellow Chief:

"I believe that your interview further compromised security at the RJC by exposing potential weaknesses to those who may wish to do harm to our judges and/or the public at the RJC," Zimmerman wrote [to Johnson]. "I believe you had good intentions, but the outcome is otherwise."

"[T]he outcome is otherwise?" That can't be right, can it?

Judge Doug Smith then decided to go ALL CAPS on everyone's ass:

"In the future, please do not disclose our safety to the newspapers. I don't feel comfortable with that disclosure."

When one judge [taking bets on who] responded with a simple "?", Smith wrote back in capital letters: "THIS IS IN REGARDS TO THE NEWSPAPER PERSON ALLOWED INTO OUR BACK OFFICES AND THE BAD PRESS WE RECEIVED. WHO APPROVED THE RELEASE(?)"

CALM DOWN DOUG. THE PUBLIC CLEARLY COULDN'T CARE LESS ABOUT JUDICIAL ELECTIONS - ANY PRESS IS YOUR FRIEND.

Judge Cadish also had some thoughts:

"I too was extremely disturbed to read in the paper about exactly what cameras around the courthouse don't have the view they should have because they're blocked by trees or otherwise out of position. I do think it can easily put us at risk."

By "us," Cadish of course meant all the employees and visitors in the RJC, right? She wasn't just talking about the robed ones who already have private security guards ... right?

SJ defended herself by noting that by speaking to the RJ she "in fact, made the story less negative than it would have been."

We look forward to the next email thread from the judges explaining how organizing a witch hunt instead of just fixing the security problem made the story more positive.

(LVRJ; Thanks Tipsters!)

What is the opposite of a "happy ending?"

The great Jane Ann Morrison over at the RJ busted two District Court Judges for using jury deliberation rooms as their own private massage parlors. The judges in question are Elissa Cadish and Susan Johnson. From Morrison's blog:

Cadish was the instigator. She said her former law firm let a massage therapist visit the law office for the convenience of employees. About a year ago, she contacted him and he started coming up on Fridays, setting up his massage bench in the jury deliberation room and offering massages for a dollar a minute like the ones at the mall.

Damn. Hale Lane hires massage therapists for the convenience of their employees? Nice!

The judges were just getting upper body massages, no nudity involved, but Chief Judge T. Arthur Ritchie, Jr. (again, the most pretentious name on the bench) thought that the public perception of the massages may be a problem. Thus, Judge Ritchie has asked that if the judges insist on continuing with the massages, they have them done in their private chambers. Yeah, that should help with perception.

(LVRJ; Thanks to everyone who sent this in)

Thurs Roundup

The FBI announced a major child prostitution bust with links to Las Vegas. At least 65 people have been arrested in Las Vegas as a part of Operation Cross Country, including pimps, prostitutes and people soliciting prostitutes. (Las Vegas Now)

Congratulations to District Judge Arthur Ritchie Jr. [pictured right], the presiding judge for Family Court, who has been named new Chief Judge for the Eighth Judicial District Court. (Review-Journal) In other court personnel news, congratulations to Edward A. Friedland, Esq. who has been selected to serve as the Court Executive Officer and Clerk of the Court of the Clark County Courts. (Harmful Error)

Parents whose 4 yr-old with a genetic disease died after they him left alone in their SUV are facing murder charges. (Review-Journal)

Before his Public Defender could talk to him, a man accused of robbing and beating Oakland Raiders receiver Javon Walker alleged in open court that police pressured his fiance to press charges against him in a domestic violence case. (Review-Journal)

The Nevada Supreme Court will take up the issue of whether term limits for state and local officials are constitutional. Under the current term limits, those who have served for 12 years in office can no longer run for office. (Review-Journal)

Las Vegas Police detectives have submitted a felony case against a well-known tag crew member to the district attorney’s office as a suspect in the graffiti outbreak at the Regional Justice Center. (Las Vegas Sun)

An editorial suggesting that a Clark County Baliff's tasering of a 23 yr-old audio-video technician for the entertainment/education of kids might not have been a good idea. (Las Vegas Sun)

After 25 years of serving the City of Henderson, Police Chief Richard Perkins is retiring. (Las Vegas Now)

In Carson City, an attorney with only 8 yrs of experience is running for a District Court Judicial seat, claiming the requirement that judicial candidates must be licensed for at least 10 years doesn't apply to him because he was licensed before the law went into effect. (Nevada Appeal)

Congress will not be rolling back the Internet gambling ban this year after a House committee deadlocked on an amendment to prevent federal agencies from completing the new rules until the agencies defined "unlawful Internet gambling." (Review-Journal)

An international defense contractor accused of attempting to bribe an Army office is on the loose after cutting his electronic monitoring bracelet and disappearing. Some Assistant U.S. Attorneys are questioning Magistrate Judge Lawrence Leavitt's decision to allow the suspect to remain under electronic monitoring at a friend's home. (Las Vegas Sun)

In Ireland, the lethal toxin Ricin was found in the prison cell of a former Las Vegas poker dealer accused of conspiring with a Clare woman to kill her partner and his two sons. (Breaking News)

Knapp details the legal wrangling that led to a dismissal in the Gage trial while pointing out the absurdity of Gage's claim of being "vindicated" after 8 of 12 jurors in an earlier trial said he was guilty. (Las Vegas City Life)

District Judge Herndon unsealed the three year old malpractice suit against Judge Miley. (Review-Journal)

Finally, Congratulations to Las Vegas lawyer Aaron D. Lovaas who has been named by Mountain States Super Lawyers magazine as one of the top business litigators under 40 in the state of Nevada. (PR Web)