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Politics

Ruling clears way for special precincts on Las Vegas strip

By Times Wires
Published January 18, 2008

LAS VEGAS - A union with ties to Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton failed in court Thursday to prevent casino workers from caucusing at special precincts on the Las Vegas strip.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge James Mahan was presumed to be a boost for Clinton rival Barack Obama in the Democratic presidential caucuses Saturday because he has been endorsed by the union representing many of the shift workers who will be able to use the special precincts.

"State Democrats have a First Amendment right to association, to assemble and to set their own rules," Mahan said.

Nevada's Democratic Party approved creation of the precincts to make it easier for housekeepers, servers and bellhops to caucus during the day near work rather than have to do so in their neighborhoods.

The state teachers union, which has ties to Clinton, brought the suit against the special precincts shortly after Local 226 of the Culinary Workers Union endorsed Obama for the Democratic nomination. The union is the largest in Nevada, with 60,000 members. The Clinton campaign said it was not involved in the suit.

The suit said that party rules allowing the precincts gave too much power to the casino workers and violated federal equal protection guarantees. The union argued in court that the at-large precincts would give casino workers an unfair advantage over other employees who also are scheduled to work during the midday caucuses.

"There is a group of workers that are being treated preferentially by the state party, and that runs contrary to the principles for which the Democratic Party stands," said Lynn Warne, the teachers union president, in a statement after the ruling. "We're disappointed, but we will go on, and thousands of our members will attend the caucuses on Saturday."

The judge said, "We aren't voting here; we're caucusing. That's something that parties decide."

Bill Clinton snaps at TV reporter

A heated exchange between former President Bill Clinton and a TV reporter circulated on the Internet on Thursday.

During a campaign stop for his wife in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Clinton became visibly annoyed when KGO-TV reporter Mark Mathews asked him whether Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign should take a stronger stand against a union's lawsuit to keep casino workers from caucusing at special precincts in Nevada.

"I had nothing to do with that lawsuit and you know it," said Bill Clinton, who had been in the area talking to residents and real estate professionals about home foreclosures. "Get on your television station and say, 'I don't care about the home mortgage crisis,'" he berated Mathews.

[Last modified January 18, 2008, 01:34:07]