Oct. 09, 1996 - Police group endorses civilians over officers
Written by Steve Sanson
Thursday, 19 April 2007
SUN STAFF REPORTS In this strange year for political endorsements, veterans groups are shunning vets to endorse those who didn't serve, and police organizations are backing non-cops over cops.
The SUN previously reported that the Las Vegas Police Protective Association has endorsed two candidates running against Metro officers. The association gave the nod to Democratic Clark County Commissioner Paul Christensen over Officer Lance Malone, a Republican, in District C. The group also favors Democrat Mike Schneider over Lt. Dennis Cobb, a Republican, in the state Senate District 8 race.
Meanwhile, veterans groups are throwing their support to some non-veterans over veterans. On Tuesday, about 30 veterans joined Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., in launching the Veterans for Clinton/Gore '96 Advisory Committee. Clinton, a Democrat with no military experience, is running against Republican Bob Dole, a veteran whose right arm was disabled during combat in World War II.
Veterans In Politics, with about 500 members in Nevada, already has endorsed non-veteran Rep. John Ensign, R-Nev., over state Sen. Bob Coffin, D-Las Vegas, in Nevada's 1st Congressional District race. Coffin served a stint in the U.S. Army Reserves. Stan Spierer, a highly decorated and disabled World War II veteran, gave Clinton high marks for selecting disabled veteran Jesse Brown as secretary of Veterans Affairs. Spierer also said Clinton has supported funding increases for veterans hospitals and cost-of-living increases in veterans benefits, two items he said Dole opposed.
"The record that Clinton has as far as veterans are concerned is outstanding," Spierer said. Although he conceded he was disappointed Clinton didn't serve during the Vietnam War, Spierer said he didn't hold that against Clinton. Vice President Al Gore is a Vietnam veteran. "There are a lot of people who didn't go into the service then," Spierer said. "The Vietnam War was a terrible joke. It was a no-win situation."
David Mofchum, president of Veterans In Politics, noted that Ensign launched a veterans advisory committee that "at least listened to our problems." Mofchum also said he had no problem with the endorsement of a non-veteran over a veteran. "We just feel Ensign will be a better representative, and not just in veterans things," Mofchum said. "We're still for who we think will be better for this country. It's not because someone is or isn't a veteran."
Hansen in jail Dan Hansen, an Independent American Party candidate for Congress who espouses family values, is being divorced by his wife of 36 years and has been charged with a misdemeanor battery in a fist fight with his son. "Regardless of me personally, the nation needs standards of family stability," Hansen said. Hansen, 53, and his 32-year-old son, Gavin, were booked on misdemeanor domestic battery charges Sept. 26 after brawling in the office of a roofing company Dan Hansen owns in Sparks. Hansen said he and his son were arguing about the divorce, which might be finalized in a few days. "I blacked his eye, and he bloodied my nose," Hansen said. "I thought his anger was gone. But he called the police." Both were arrested and later released on $600 bail. Hansen is due for arraignment Thursday but said it will be postponed because his lawyer cannot appear. He said he will plead innocent. But he indicated the spat may be settled out of court. He said he and his wife, who met in high school, have been living apart for six years and that he's opposed to the divorce. "She filed last October," he said, "and I've tried to reconcile. I still love her. If they want to blame anybody for the divorce, they can blame me. I've made a lot of mistakes. I've injured her soft heart."
Hansen was a candidate for governor in 1970 and again in 1994. His brother, Joel, a Las Vegas attorney, and his sister, Janine, a political activist from Sparks, have run for Congress. Hansen said he didn't know if the incident would hurt his campaign, "but it's hurt my soul." Hansen is running in Nevada's 2nd Congressional District, which includes all of Nevada except urban parts of Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and Henderson. In March, Hansen was convicted of disturbing a meeting of the Sparks City Council and sentenced to 20 hours of community service.