A law firm representing Governor Lombardo says he is appealing a recent decision by the Nevada Commission on Ethics.
In a statement Wednesday, the law firm, Campbell & Williams, says "after a thorough review of the facts, the law, and the recent hearing, Governor Lombardo has instructed our firm to seek a judicial review of the ethics commission's ruling."
As we've reported, on June 25th, the ethics commission fined Lombardo $20,000 and issued a censure for violations related to wearing his sheriff's uniform while campaigning.
UPDATE: JULY 25, 2023
On Tuesday, the Nevada Commission on Ethics fined Governor Lombardo $20,000 and issued a censure for violations related to wearing his Sheriff's uniform while campaigning.
In his recommendation, Ross Armstrong, executive director of the Nevada Commission on Ethics, cited 68 violations of ethics laws that he called “willful” and serious.
“Each time Lombardo’s campaign posted an image, published a video, or otherwise caused a campaign post to include Lombardo in his uniform, badge, or gun constitutes a separate act,” it said.
Lombardo's office previously declined to comment on the recommendation to the eight-member ethics commission, which is appointed by the governor and Legislative Commission to interpret and enforce state ethics laws.
But in legal responses to the Ethics Commission complaint, Lombardo attorneys called the proposed penalty “eye-watering,” unprecedented and “based on his use of the same four images on social media during his gubernatorial campaign.”
“Simply put, the executive director’s approach to this proceeding is the equivalent of using a sledgehammer to swat a fly,” the attorneys wrote. They argued that no state law says a sheriff can't wear his uniform and badge in campaign materials.
Lombardo served two elected terms as nonpartisan sheriff in Clark County — the administrative head of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the largest police agency in the state. He resigned in January 2023 when he became governor, after defeating Democratic incumbent Steve Sisolak the previous November.
“Because the Nevada Legislature declined to make the position of sheriff a ‘resign to run’ position, Lombardo remained a public officer ... throughout his gubernatorial campaign,” his attorneys wrote.
According to the complaint, the penalties add up to more than $1.6 million, but the Commission ultimately ended with the $20,000 fine and censure.
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(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
