Las Vegas Sun

April 25, 2024

Oscar Goodman answers questions from Sun readers

Goodman's Last Days

Leila Navidi

Mayor Oscar Goodman during his second to last day in office at Las Vegas City Hall Tuesday, July 5, 2011.

Oscar After Office

In an interview in his City Hall office for the Las Vegas Sun and the radio show "Kats With the Dish," Oscar Goodman tells John Katsilometes and Tricia McCrone of his three terms in office, his accomplishments, his former clients and the one goal he could never attain -- landing a major sports team for Las Vegas.

The Las Vegas Sun asked readers to submit questions for former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman. His responses to some questions follow.

Question: How come you did not seek to work with the City Council to have the term limits changed to enable you to run for another term? I'm sure you're aware this was done successfully by a mayor in New York City. - Lawrence I

Answer: The difference between Las Vegas and in New York was our city’s charter. In 1996, it was decided that the mayor of Las Vegas would serve no more than three terms. I didn’t want to go against the will of the public.

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Question: Why do you drink gin instead of Scotch? - Jim Bacon

Answer: Because I got paid to drink gin, that’s why.

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Question: To keep the dynasty going, will you run again for mayor after Carolyn's 12 years are complete? - Steve R.

Answer: No chance. I’ll be older than the Methusalah by then.

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Question: Who paid the salaries for the two showgirls, so you could have one on each arm? - Marion Badger

Answer: The Las Vegas Visitors and Convention Authority saw me and the showgirls as a brand of Las Vegas, and they paid for the showgirls.

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Question: Have you ever had a meeting with Elvis Presley? If you did, what was it like? - Richard Cascio

Answer: I met Elvis once in Dr. Elias Ghanem’s office, and I found him to be a delightful and warm person. We were both in Dr. Ghanem’s waiting room and I talked to him then.

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Question: Mr. Goodman, given your success in the past defending some notorious people, would you consider re-entering law practice so you could represent some of the many celebrities who find themselves before a Clark County judge? - Jim Bacon

Answer: I’m getting an awful lot of bites to go that way, but right now all I can say is that I am weighing my options.

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