In a controversial turn of events, Joe Lombardo, a prominent political figure, is embroiled in an ongoing legal battle with the Nevada Ethics Commission. Back in 2023, Lombardo faced censure and was subjected to one of the heftiest fines ever imposed by the commission for breaching ethics regulations during his run for governor. Now, Lombardo is taking a bold step by filing a lawsuit aimed at dismantling the Ethics Commission entirely. This move follows his inability to evade legal repercussions, even after appointing allies to the commission just before his ethics hearing.
The scrutiny surrounding Lombardo extends beyond this legal confrontation. Shortly after his election victory, Lombardo established a dark money inaugural committee, deviating from the bipartisan tradition of transparency. This decision has sparked concerns among Nevada residents about undisclosed financial contributions and expenditures.
Lombardo’s political maneuvers have also come under fire in the realm of housing and healthcare. He faced criticism for aligning with a billionaire hotel mogul who heavily financed his campaign, subsequently vetoing several bills aimed at reducing housing costs for Nevada citizens. In a controversial staffing decision, Lombardo appointed a former housing lobbyist as his chief of staff, raising eyebrows given the lobbyist’s past connections to a corporate landlord benefiting from Lombardo’s vetoes.
The controversy doesn’t stop there. Lombardo also vetoed legislation that could have reduced prescription drug prices to the Medicare-negotiated rate for all Nevadans. This action seemingly favored major pharmaceutical companies, which later contributed nearly $100,000 to his campaign.
Nevada State Democratic Party spokesperson Tai Sims
“Joe Lombardo’s repeated attempts to deceive Nevadans and violate ethics laws to help his political ambitions prove he is nothing more than a desperate politician who will do or say anything to win an election. Lombardo is pushing the agenda of his special interests friends while receiving campaign cash on the backend — and that’s why Nevadans can’t trust him to look out for us.”
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