FOLLOW THE MONEY

PACs and 527 groups offer a revealing look at our political system at work

Some have addresses but no phone numbers, clear purposes but little money,
funny names but inauspicious goals or funny names and direct objectives
and/or targets. They are Nevada's Political Action Committees (PACs).

Printed from the secretary of state's website, the list takes up 26 pages
and includes the usual suspects--gamers and miners, educationistas and
health-care hawks, government gadflies and a smattering of Citizens For
This or That groups.

You'll find plenty of unusual groups: Boom Box Terrorism Task Force (no
phone number); the Political Action Committee Against Bastards and Bitches
in Politics (no number); the Committee to Oust Michael McDonald (no number;
maybe because it worked); the Political Action Committee Against Political
Hemorrhoids (no number); Impeach Oscar Goodman (no one answered the phone,
but there's an address on Ralston Drive); the Political Action Committee
Against Political Whores (no number); ACME Enterprises ("no sir, they're
not operating out of this office," says the woman answering the phone.);
SMAXY PAC (the woman answering the phone has never heard of them).

That political boiling pot we know as Boulder City has four PACs, including
It's a Matter of Trust, a group formed from the political firestorms of the
early '90's (particularly a plan to put a landfill in Eldorado Valley).
Reached by phone, the wife of the PAC's creator didn't want to bring up the
past.

"I just wish you wouldn't do a story on our group. It's largely inactive.
It was formed to deal with all that was going on in Boulder City politics
at the time, and the stuff was pretty bad," she says, laughing nervously.
"That was so long ago. We have good politicians now, and to even mention
the name would stir up old memories and open up wounds. Why throw salt in
the wound?"

Why is the name still active?

"Because it's such a great name and everyone wants it ... There are just so
many other things going on in Las Vegas that are more important. Why do a
story about us?

(Told the story is on Nevada PACs.)

"Then why even mention us? There are groups that are way more active."

(Told the purpose isn't to specifically highlight this group.)

"Then why even mention us?"

Because of the interesting name.

"Even mentioning it will dredge up issues and could divide people once again."

(Asked why Boulder City's political climate was so divisive.)

"You'd be surprised about small-town politics."

And you might be surprised that despite clear legal differences between
PACs, which raise "hard money" for the purpose of electing and defeating
candidates, and 527s, which raise "soft money" for political activity such
as voter mobilization or issue advocacy, but not for electing or defeating
candidates, the secretary of state's office won't (or can't) make the
distinction.

Credit the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and MoveOn.Org for smudging
distinctions (and turning presidential mudslinging into swamp-slinging).
The 527 ads have devolved into the televised equivalent of "playing the
dozens," a ghetto game of name-calling and belittling--smearing your
opponents' military record the equivalent of "yo mama" jokes, something you
do at your own risk. An official at the secretary of state's office
deferred to the Federal Election Commission on the question of 527s
operating in Nevada; the state has seen its share of negative 527 ads.

"All PACs are essentially 527s," FEC spokesman Ian Stirton says. "Most 527s
aren't registered with the Federal Election Commission. They register with
the IRS, but unless they have a PAC aligned with them, they don't have to
register with us. After the [presidential] election, 527s that want to help
a political candidate and fund-raise for them will have to register as PACs."

So that puts Cingular Wireless LLC Employee PAC (out of Atlanta), Goldman
Sachs PAC III (out of Washington, D.C.) and Harley Davidson PAC of Nevada
(out of Milwaukee)--all registered in Nevada--on par with the Mineral
County Classroom PAC, Nevada Soft Drink Association PAC and the various
Citizens For groups (Common Sense, Competition, Ethics in Government,
Healthy Smiles, Informed Voting, Public Train Trench, A Safer Henderson)?

"There's no official working list of 527s in Nevada," Stirton says, "but
you can look at the PACs (from the secretary of state's office) for some
reference."

A brief list of Nevada PACs and their missions:

Automotive Recyclers and Dismantlers of Nevada: line continually busy
(maybe they're out recycling and dismantling).

Cannabis Reform Committee: "We haven't been that active," says a
representative, "because the Marijuana Policy Project came in and sponsored
their initiative [to legalize one ounce of marijuana possession]. It was
defeated and now the issue is in the courts."

Coalition to Keep Brothels Out of Churchill County: self-explanatory.

Emily's List: focused on getting Democratic, pro-choice women into
political office.

Fix This Country: number is out of service.

Aramark Political Action Committee: "You got the wrong office," the
security desk officer at the PAC's Philadelphia offices says. "I'll try to
forward you." He didn't.

PAC 357: aligned with IBEW Local Union 357 (electrical workers).