Nevada Republican Ethics are Lacking as Usual

March 8, 2005

Frankly, Republican ethics in Nevada is poor and many would say they have none. Their actions in the past 6 months continue to support this position.

In December 2004 state Controller Kathy Augustine was impeached because she used state employees on her re-election campaign. She also admitted to three ethics violations before the impeachment and was fined $15,000. She was found innocent by the Republican controlled Nevada Senate in December 2004 though she admitted guilt.

Nevada Republicans saw nothing wrong with this. Amazing!

Senate Republicans claimed the ethics laws were unclear so their colleague and partner in crime was innocent. Now a first term Democratic senator in the 2005 Session, has stepped up to clarify the law and make the things Augustine did specifically illegal. SB 162  should be called the Augustine Amendment. (Senate Bill 162)

Then, Jim Gibbons, (R), Representative from Nevada plagiarized a significant portion of a speech to the party faithful in Elko in February. He got caught and now he claims Democrats were overreacting and spinning. Shameful that Gibbons does the spinning and doesn't understand his lapse of ethics. http://atrios.blogspot.com/2005_02_27_atrios_archive.html#110988204115622588

In that speech is said that people who criticize the War in Iraq should be sent to Iraq as shields. Apparently, he doesn't like anyone who disagrees with the morally challenged Republican party line and wants critics to die if they do. Again, Gibbons claims other people are spinning but really, he is just a loose cannon who wants to run for Governor some day. What a nightmare!

Reaction in Elko, where Gibbons has a Republican base has been positive to neutral but one war veteran said in a letter to the editor, "Go to Hell, Mr. Gibbons, go to Hell".
http://www.nevadapolitics.com/index.php/weblog/more/voice_of_dissent_from_elko

"God help us" if Gibbons runs for Governor. The lies and spin will overwhelm freedom of speech and press in Nevada.

Now, we have yet another ethics lapse by a Nevada Republican. Senator Barbara Cegavske, R - Las Vegas, said she has a contract as a consultant with KVBC Channel 3 in Las Vegas (Sun Belt Communications). She said she has had the contract for about a year and provides advice about news content including Legislative issues. Cegavske says there is no conflict of interest.

Yeah, right.

A state legislator is supposed to work for all Nevadans and not just those who pay her $3,000 a month as a "consultant".

Now she says she plans to vote on educational issues, though she works for Jim Rogers, the owner of Sunbelt communications and also the interim Chancellor of the University System. Of course Rogers who pays her as a consultant says he sees no conflict. Of course he doesn't, what a great deal he has!

Senator Cegaviske is a legislator contracting with a news outlet which is supposed to independently report on Legislative actions. Independence is a cornerstone of an honest press and for Sunbelt this is no longer true. She has corrupted herself and our free press principles and cannot see this. Pitiful

To make matters worse for Democracy, Republicans are rationalizing their ethics lapse by saying that her relationship disclosure is enough. This was echoed by Bill Raggio, (R) the Senate Majority Leader from Reno who said on March 4, 2005 that it was okay, since she pointed out the relationship and that's all is needed.

Boy are we in trouble with politicians like these!

No matter what Republicans say, this is a conflict of interest. Their lack of ethics is getting in the way of an honest Legislature, if such a thing is possible. At least we should try to have honesty and integrity. Their unethical behavior is an assault on Democracy itself something only our enemies do.

Republicans, again, don't have a clue and all Nevadans loose.