After working four years to remove Michael McDonald, a two term city councilman with links to organized crime, I accepted a position as political consultant to Janet Moncrief, a candidate running against McDonald in the Spring 2003 Las Vegas City Council election. Just prior to her election, though forewarned, she became involved with some of the same organized crime associates her predecessor represented. Upon reading of her new alliances in newspaper reports, I immediately went to work to have her removed from office. The following news stories describe the consequences of her sudden transformation, and political demise. - Steve Miller
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MONCRIEF RECALLED
Las Vegas City Councilwoman Janet Moncrief, right, weeps as she speaks Tuesday
with Ward 1 special election winner Lois Tarkanian at the Tap House.
She will be sworn into office during the council's Feb. 2 meeting. 
Review-Journal photo by K.M. Cannon
Friday, February 11, 2005
Case against Moncrief to be settled as civil violation, fine
By BRIAN HAYNES
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

September 09, 2004
Moncrief pleads not guilty
By Sito Negron
LAS VEGAS SUN
Las Vegas City Councilwoman Janet Moncrief pleaded not guilty this morning to
charges of falsifying campaign finance reports. Then she left the courtroom
with her lawyer, Richard Wright, who stopped outside the Clark County
Courthouse and began her public defense.

Friday, September 10, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
Moncrief pleads not guilty to charges
Councilwoman accused of campaign felonies
By MICHAEL SQUIRES
REVIEW-JOURNAL
If the case goes to trial, Wright said the state will have a difficult time
proving Moncrief willfully violated campaign laws, which must be proven to gain
a conviction. The errors, according to Wright, were "simply a mistake." Hafen
said the state will use the testimonies of Moncrief supporters-turned-enemies
Steve Miller and Peter "Chris" Christoff to prove she wilfully concealed
campaign expenditures and donations.

August 23, 2004
Moncrief booked on campaign charges
LAS VEGAS SUN
Las Vegas City Councilwoman Janet Moncrief was formally processed through the Metro police booking system Thursday, another step toward ultimately bringing her to trial on felony charges of campaign law violations.

August 18, 2004
Grand jury told casino figure paid Vegas councilwoman's campaign
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Former Las Vegas City Councilman Steve Miller testified that at Stupak's
request, he worked as a consultant to Moncrief's campaign. He said he was promised
$25,000 if Moncrief won, but he never got the money.

August 18, 2004
Moncrief failed to report expenses, grand jury told
By Sito Negron
FRONT PAGE
LAS VEGAS SUN
Miller testified that Stupak was present during a chaotic scene at Stupak's house in which campaign workers realized, on deadline, that they had not properly filled out finance reports. "I was very upset because I had advised Miss Moncrief and her operatives ... this is the most important part of the campaign, you could blow the whole campaign," Miller said. "They're screaming what
should we do, and I said you've got to turn it in, and they said well, we don't know what the numbers should be, and I came up with some lousy advice and that was put in anything, just turn it in and then amend it tomorrow." The reports, completed by Moncrief campaign aide Betty Schulte, were filled in during a hectic drive to file the reports downtown, Miller said. He said the figures on
the former were "based on numbers I picked out of the air." Moncrief filed an amended report to flesh out the first one, and Miller said he gave her "not-so-good advice," suggesting she loan her campaign money to make up the difference between what she reported and what she had actually received to make the totals match. He said she did so.

Wednesday, August 18, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
Testimony: Stupak was money man
FRONT PAGE
By MICHAEL SQUIRES and GLENN PUIT
REVIEW-JOURNAL
Former Las Vegas City Councilman Steve Miller testified that at Stupak's
request he began work as a consultant to Moncrief's campaign with the promise he
would be paid $25,000 if she won. "I was asked by a friend of mine, Bob Stupak,
to assist him in obtaining public office for his girlfriend, as he described
her," said Miller, who told the grand jury he never got the $25,000.

KLAS TV NEWS
Brian Podner, Photojournalist
Moncrief Speaks With Eyewitness News
August 18, 2004
Another staffer, former city councilman Steve Miller, told Moncrief it was dishonest and says
her response was "nobody will know." The money spent on the phony fliers wasn't reported.
FULL STORY WITH STREAMING VIDEO

August 09, 2004
Indictment brings end to Moncrief election probe
By Jace Radke
LAS VEGAS SUN

Saturday, August 07, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
CITY COUNCILWOMAN: Moncrief arraignment set
Judge schedules Sept. 8 court date on five felony counts
REVIEW-JOURNAL

August 06, 2004
Moncrief indicted for campaign violations
Felony charges stem from 2003 City Council race
By Jace Radke
and Ed Koch
FRONT PAGE
LAS VEGAS SUN

Friday, August 06, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
CAMPAIGN VIOLATIONS: Grand jury indicts Moncrief
Councilwoman faces five felony counts stemming from 2003 bid for office
By MICHAEL SQUIRES
FRONT PAGE
REVIEW-JOURNAL

Vegas councilwoman indicted on felony campaign finance charges
KEN RITTER, Associated Press Writer
The San Francisco Chronicle
Friday, August 6, 2004

How it all began:

Sunday, June 15, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
CITY COUNCIL: Moncrief focused on giving back to LV
Unknown goes from apathy to action in unseating incumbent
By MICHAEL SQUIRES
REVIEW-JOURNAL
Question. What role, if any, will Chris Christoff, Steve Miller or Bob Stupak have in your administration?
Answer:  As I've always said, I don't know Chris Christoff. I've met him a couple of times. Steve Miller, I met him in my walks. He cornered me and quizzed me to death. Talk about a concerned citizen. He has been on my side rooting me on and was tickled about my winning. But I have no contact with either of them. I guess there were rumors I was going to hire Steve Miller for one of my positions. I'm not going to hire Steve Miller, I don't even know him.
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June 19, 2003
More allegations made against Moncrief campaign
Former councilman Miller files affidavit with secretary of state
By Ed Koch
LAS VEGAS SUN
"I told her (Moncrief) early on that if Steve Miller is involved with this in any way, then I'm out," Letizia said. "She assured me that Steve Miller was not involved during the campaign. She gave me the indication that she never has been involved at any time with him."
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Tom Letizia represents Rick Rizzolo, a close associate of Michael McDonald. Rizzolo is the subject of a federal investigation of racketeering and political corruption

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