State asks AG to press Williams case

Secretary of State Ross Miller asked the attorney general's office Tuesday to go after former Assemblyman Wendell Williams for not paying fines imposed because of campaign law violations.

"Mr. Williams' failure to file campaign contribution and expense reports for the 2002 election cycle and pay subsequent fines is not something we take lightly," he said.

Miller said Williams agreed to pay the $15,000 in civil penalties in an agreement with the elections division. He said the failure to file reports and to keep his agreement to pay the state "clearly necessitate aggressive collection efforts."

"We're prepared to take whatever steps are necessary to collect the remaining $9,500 that Williams owes to the state of Nevada, as well as any interest, attorneys' fees and costs incurred as a result of his failure to meet his payment obligations."

Williams was fined the maximum $5,000 for each of the three reports he failed to file. He agreed to pay the fine in increments of $100 a month. But according to elections deputy Scott Gilles, there have been several periods of up to six months when no checks were received. A certified letter was sent Nov. 1 after discovering that no payments had been made in nearly two years. No response was received from the letter.

Williams, a Democrat who represented North Las Vegas, served 18 years in the Assembly and chaired the Education Committee in his final session in 2003.