Sec. of state seeks documents on Reid PACS

Secretary of State Ross Miller is seeking documents concerning "potential violations" of state election laws by Rory Reid's failed gubernatorial campaign involving dozens of political action committees.

In a letter sent to Reid on Friday, Miller asked for records and checks that were received by Reid's Economic Leadership PAC from the 90 smaller committees that made contributions to his campaign.

The secretary of state holds jurisdiction over all election laws. "In that capacity, this office believes that additional information is necessary to help us determine whether a violation actually occurred," the letter said.

Similar letters were sent

to Reid's campaign manager, David Cohen, and Joanne Paul, treasurer of the political action committees in Las Vegas.

Miller asked for the records within 30 days, and advised them that "information you give may be used against you in an administrative, civil or criminal proceeding brought by this office or any other agency."

Las Vegas Sun columnist Jon Ralston reported March 4 that Reid's campaign formed 90 shell PACS that were used to funnel $750,000 into his campaign and seemingly avert contribution limits. All of the PACS were registered using the same Las Vegas residential address and were dissolved after the November election, the newspaper reported.

State law limits contributions from PACs to $10,000 per election. According to the Sun report, those limits were skirted when large contributions to the Economic Leadership PAC, an umbrella group, were then dispersed to a network of the smaller PAC committees to make donations to Reid's campaign.

In an e-mail response to a request Friday from The Associated Press seeking comment, Reid said, "I structured my campaign based on advice I received from election law experts and fully disclosed every contribution and expenditure.

"I welcome the secretary of state's request for information and I will cooperate fully."

Reid, the son of U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, is former chairman of the Clark County Commission. The Democratic gubernatorial nominee in last year's election, Rory Reid lost to Republican Brian Sandoval.