Throw out the six-degrees-of-separation rule when it comes to Vegas. This city’s small-town nature is such that our most powerful people and interests often are more connected than we think:
Barlow-Truesdell–overtime
Ricki Barlow defeated attorney Stacie Truesdell for the Ward 5 City Council seat in a nasty campaign. Bedfellow factor: Poppa Truesdell sits on the planning commission, which reviews projects before they go to the council. So he could raise hackles about Ward 5 projects. Payback?
I, lobbyists
Lobbyists Tim Crowley and Josh Griffin played both sides of the “green” bill fence in the legislative session, lobbying for opposing entities—MGM Mirage and Clark County. The county opposed the bill; MGM Mirage supported it. The county hired Crowley and Griffin before the session; according to the Sun, the duo disclosed this to MGM Mirage. Neither client knew that the “green” legislation would be so contentious and pit the interests of one Crowley-Griffin client against another. The bill passed and is expected to strip $400 million from CityCenter’s $7 billion price, but cut $300 million over 10 years from county coffers.
Not G-Stung (yet?)
During his City Council term, Michael McDonald worked as a paid consultant to indicted former strip-club owner Michael Galardi, who claims he routinely bribed McDonald. Bedfellow factor: McDonald lost re-election in 2003 over ethics issues. Ignoring his past, the council unanimously voted to sell McDonald land, for millions less than it’s worth, to build affordable housing.