The Strippergate verdict came in on Friday and, as predicted on the Buffet, jurors convicted two former County Commissioners of most of the charges against them. For those who are not up to date: the County Commission oversees topless bar regulations, and at this trial a former club owner (who plead guilty) testified to bribing a few of the commissioners. Also, pleading guilty and testifying about how the bribing process all worked was a third commissioner who was on the take. But despite endless taped conversations, documented meetings and humiliating testimony Dario Herrera (pictured) and Mary Kincaid-Chauncey maintained their innocence and the decision was left to the jury who found them guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Herrera was convicted of six counts of extortion (though not guilty on two others), 10 counts of wire fraud and also of conspiring to commit wire fraud. Kincaid-Chauncey was convicted of  three counts of extortion (and not guilty of one), nine counts of wire fraud and, of course, conspiracy to commit wire fraud. 

Like a sports event The Review-Journal offered the final score: "Herrera was convicted on 17 of 19 charges, Kincaid-Chauncey on 13 of 14." Experts say that these politicians will only serve a few years in jail, at most. Still, the Buffet predicts (and I've been correct on every prediction so far) that Las Vegas politics hasn't seen the last of Dario Herrera. His shamelessness at trial made clear that he already feels cleansed of the marital infidelities with Cheetah's employees (which, by the way, were considered bribes by the prosecution) and wrongly understood about everything else. This is the man who argued on the stand that he knew everything he accepted from the topless bar owner was meant to influence him but that he was too superior and morally pure to be swayed by gifts (which were alleged to have ranged from a $10,000 a month stipend to oral sex in a bathroom at Cheetah's). I think the moment Herrera gets out he will go job hunting for office. And, the way Nevada politics seems to work, it may be a reasonable career goal for him.