Corruption in Nevada politics is nothing new. Every decade has seen a federal investigation against local politicians. For more than 30 years, District Attorney candidate Frank Cremen has been wondering why Nevada's prosecutors haven't been the ones uncovering the corruption.
"I'd rather see us catch these corrupt politicians," Cremen said. "Our local prosecutors' office has turned a blind eye to corrupt local officials; some should have been discovered by us rather then by the feds."
And Frank Cremen should know. He's a successful attorney who began his career in the '70s working as a prosecutor for the Clark County District Attorney's office. He was a top prosecutor who saw his name in the headlines often.
Cremen was the man responsible for putting sexual predator Lawrence "The Candy Man" Arvey behind bars. Arvey was convicted despite having a team of big-name attorneys representing him. Another significant conviction came against corrupt Public Administrator Nat Adler. That conviction also represented one of the few political-corruption cases won by the District Attorney's office.
Cremen's success as a prosecutor left many labeling him a shoe-in for District Attorney. He chose instead to start a private practice and raise a family. Now his children are grown and he has earned a reputation for excellence in the courtroom.
As a defense attorney, Cremen has represented thousands of clients in federal and state courts. Many of his cases have received widespread media attention. Most recently he successfully represented former Clark County Commissioner Erin Kenny. Additionally Cremen has served as special prosecutor for the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline. His prosecutions resulted in the removal of two judges and the resignation of another.
Now, citing a D.A.'s office with low standards, Cremen is running for District Attorney. He says two issues convinced him to do so.
"This is the job I thought I'd like to do 30 years ago," said Cremen, a veteran of the Vietnam War. "My kids are grown, so this is the best time to make the move. Also, I don't think the fellow who's got the job now has done a very good job; he's compromised the job and the office."
Cremen is talking about District Attorney David Roger, a career government employee who enjoyed close ties to Rick Rizzolo and Mike Galardi - kingpins of the adult industry and large contributors to Roger's 2002 campaign. Recently Galardi confessed to bribing three Clark County Commissioners and paying Roger - under the table - a $20,000 cash campaign contribution. Rizzolo, one of Roger's largest campaign fundraisers and frequent dinner partner, recently confessed to federal income-tax evasion and stipulated to the loss of the Crazy Horse Too topless club.
In contrast, Cremen was appointed by the Las Vegas Ethics Board to prosecute City Councilman Michael McDonald for ethics violations. Cremen proved that McDonald was running interference for Rizzolo with the Las Vegas city bureaucracy. Although Cremen was not successful in getting McDonald removed from office, McDonald lost his next race.
Cremen has shown that he will not tolerate political corruption, something Nevada has suffered from for quite some time. Right now he is the underdog, but the current political climate is ripe for someone of good character. Thirty years ago, Cremen was a shoe-in for the position and today the shoe still fits. LW
