'Jumping up and down' mad
NDOW Chairman Fuming Over
Grand Jury Corruption Charge

the line of those things that are protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution."
Woodbury said he had not known the commission was going to discuss the grand jury findings and was not invited to attend the meeting.
"The matter at issue is really two questions," Woodbury said of the Feb. 13 grand jury presentment.
"One, if the state was entitled to $1.5 million in mitigation fees from Independence Mining Co., why did the Nevada Division of Wildlife, specifically Mr. (Willie) Molini, settle for $500,000?
And two, if the state and NDOW were not entitled to $1.5 million, then why were they originally demanding that much money?
"I am confident, at some point, some state official will see that those are the ultimate questions and make a determination when something was done right and when something was done wrong," Woodbury said.
He said he has tried to spread the word on the presentment, bringing to light the grand jury's recommendation for tighter legislative control on NDOW, but all anyone is

 
concentrating on is clearing the names of the four state and two federal employees named.
"The grand jury report is very clear and concise," Woodbury said. "It speaks to all the issues and I can't say it verbally any better than it says in the report."
Brown suggested the Attorney General's Office begin to pursue criminal charges against the 17 members of the grand jury and county officials because of the hardship the presentment has caused to the named state officials.
"What certain officials in Elko County are doing, they're using public criminal statutes to enforce or threaten or extort the civil decision-making process," Brown said.
"'Either you do it the way we like you to do it or the way we want you to do it or we're going to criminally indict you.' That is a misuse of public office and that is an indictable offense."
Deputy Attorney General Wayne Howell was present at the meeting and said no crime was committed by the state officials, "based on the facts as I know them." Howell said three

options are available to the state concerning the presentment: seek a judgment to effectively throw out the findings of the grand jury; issue an Attorney General's opinion, which would not carry the weight of law; or encourage the four employees to seek civil recourse to clear their names.
The employees also could waive the statute of limitations defense and challenge the charges in criminal courts. But, Howell said, "The state cannot pay for the criminal defense of state employees. It's an unfortunate fact, but the legislature wants it that way."
Brown said he would meet with Frankie Sue Del Papa to get her and her office involved in the matter. Brown has not returned a telephone call to his Las Vegas law office and Del Papa's spokesman, Misty Young, said she was unaware of any meetings involving Brown.
"I am willing to sacrifice all the fish in all the rivers and ponds in Las Vegas to make sure that guy (Larry Barngrover, NDOW Elko district manager) doesn't get illegally indicted," Brown said.

§ § §