Perkins complaint requires clarification

The man who filed a complaint accusing Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, of breaking state campaign laws will probably get it back with a request to explain what he means.

Lee Wayne Haynes of Las Vegas made the charge Wednesday in a complaint filed with Secretary of State Dean Heller. He accuses Perkins of failing to report contributions made to his campaign by the city of Henderson, where Perkins is deputy chief of police, and accuses the city of failing to register as a political action committee.

The complaint suggests that all of Perkins' salary in that post should be reported as a campaign contribution and says the city has been supporting Perkins in his candidacies since 1992.

"I don't know how to respond because I don't know how I supposedly violated the law," said Perkins. "I don't know if he's alleging violation because of my salary or legal fees of the Hatch Act."

Secretary of State Dean Heller's Chief Deputy Renee Parker said her office has the same problem with the document.

"It doesn't say specifically 'here are the contributions that violate the statute.' Is it the city paid attorneys on the Hatch Act issue or his salary? It says 'in-kind contributions' but doesn't say what they are.

"We need him to clarify exactly what the allegation is," said Parker.

Haynes couldn't be reached for comment on his complaint.

Perkins said his status as a Henderson city employee is "one of many things this fringe group has been attacking me for for several years."

Perkins' position as deputy chief is at the core of the Hatch Act issue. That federal law prohibits appointed government officials who have control over the use of federal funds from running for political office.

Longtime southern Nevada political activist Knight Allen filed and received a ruling from the federal government that Perkins could not hold legislative office because he manages federal funds in the Henderson police department.

He said his job doesn't manage federal money,that he and the city have been aware of the Hatch Act issues for years and he is confident after reviewing the issue, the federal government will agree he isn't restricted from holding elective office.

Parker said Heller's office won't be able to decide whether there is any merit to the Haynes complaint until its author provides them more information.

Haynes ran for Clark County Board of Commissioners as an Independent American against Bruce Woodbury in 1996 and Harry Reid as an independent in 1998. Haynes filed as an independent in that race and was described as a day laborer in a Las Vegas Review-Journal article.

Contact Geoff Dornan at nevadaappeal@sbcglobal.net or 687-8750.