It was a busy year for Joe Lombardo–full of lies, corruption, and obstruction. From vetoing a record-number of bills that would have improved Nevadans’ lives in order to appease his special interest donors, to doing whatever it takes to avoid the consequences of the law, to running in his circle of corrupt cronies, all signs indicate that 2024 might be a new year, but Nevadans will be stuck with the same Lying Lombardo.
“Joe Lombardo squandered his first year in office, proving over and over again that he’ll sell out Nevadans in order to protect himself and keep his donors happy,” said Nevada State Democratic Party spokesperson Stephanie Justice. “This year, the only thing we can count on is Lombardo continuing his record of broken promises and letting Nevada families down.”
IN 2023, LOMBARDO BECAME THE VETO VILLAIN
Lombardo set a record-number of vetoes in a single legislative session by any Nevada governor – and he loves to brag about it. However, all this record proves is how much he prioritizes his special interests donors over the wellbeing of Nevada families.
Despite Nevada being the epicenter of the affordable housing crisis Lombardo vetoed numerous pieces of legislation that would have addressed the issue, including a bill that would have capped rent increases on Nevada’s seniors and those with disabilities. He also killed legislation that would have capped prescription drug prices being negotiated under the Inflation Reduction Act for all Nevadans, as well as a bill that would have protected access to contraception. That’s not all: Lombardo also chose to leave our children behind by not only vetoing free breakfast and lunch for students, but multiple gun safety bills that would have made our schools and communities safer.
One thing’s for certain: Lombardo’s villainy is here to stay.
LOMBARDO PRESIDED OVER THE WORSENING HOUSING CRISIS – AND MADE IT WORSE
Under Lombardo’s watch, Nevada’s housing crisis continued to get worse and worse. After vetoing multiple housing reform bills that would have implemented policies like tenant protections and rent stabilization, the eviction rate in Las Vegas is 62% higher than it was prior to the pandemic – one of the highest jumps of any metro area in the country and one that experts say Lombardo exacerbated. It’s not just evictions that are increasing, either – in both August and September, Nevada had the highest rate of foreclosure filings in the country. It’s clear: our families are being left without roofs over their heads and increasingly pushed into homelessness because of Lombardo’s policies.
The cause of his lack of concern for Nevada families? To keep the billionaire slumlord who financed his gubernatorial candidacy to the tens of millions of dollars happy, of course. This is just one example of many that demonstrates how Lombardo will always serve his special interests backers first, even at the expense of helping Nevadans.
LOMBARDO BRAZENLY ATTEMPTED TO EVADE THE CONSEQUENCES OF BREAKING ETHICS LAWS…
Lombardo was fined and censured by the Nevada Commission on Ethics for wearing his police badge and uniform throughout his gubernatorial campaign, and the lengths he has gone to in order to avoid accountability for his misconduct has been damning.
Lombardo delayed the original date of his hearing to give himself enough time to appoint two cronies who would end up being the only two commissioners to vote against sanctioning him. Lombardo was able to appoint his allies to the Ethics Commision after blatantly ignoring the request of a well-respected Republican for reappointment.
When his attempt to stack the deck didn’t get him the result he wanted, Lombardo turned to challenging the constitutionality of the Commission on Ethics itself, arguing that it shouldn’t exist if he isn’t able to appoint every single one of its members. He’s paying for his assault on the Ethics Commission by repurposing an unrelated donor-funded legal defense fund, questionably taking advantage of a gray area in the law.
Just how far will Lombardo go with his authoritarian power grabs in order to avoid the consequences of his own actions? We have an entire new year to find out.
…AND THERE’S NO QUESTION THAT HE’S ESTABLISHED A PATTERN OF UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR
Lombardo’s first year in the governor’s office has been marred by his ethical bankruptcy that doesn’t just end with his conflict with the Nevada Commission on Ethics.
He also registered his inaugural committee as a dark money group, a move that went against decades of bipartisan precedent and has allowed him to hide from Nevadans who funded his inaugural slush fund and where that money has been going.s. Lombardo then doubled down on this unethical lack of transparency after he vetoed SB60, which would have compelled all inaugural committees to disclose their donors. If Lombardo was truly interested in having ethics and transparency in government, he would have signed the legislation into law. The way we see it, though, is that he prefers operating in the shadows much more than being transparent with Nevadans.
LOMBARDO PROVED HIMSELF TO BE AN ALLY TO FAKE ELECTORS AND DONALD TRUMP
To cap off a tumultuous year, Lombardo’s “longtime friend” Nevada GOP Chair McDonald and Clark County GOP Chair Jesse Law, who Lombardo endorsed, were indicted over their attempts to steal the 2020 election for Donald Trump.
Lombardo has been silent since the indictments, and the explanation why is straightforward. He has always been loyal to Donald Trump, who said that having Lombardo in office was a “big advantage” to him politically – right after Lombardo vetoed legislation that would have imposed criminal penalties on Nevadans who attempt future fake elector schemes.
If it wasn’t clear before, it is now: there is a lack of moral and civic leadership in the governor’s office. As Trump and his cronies continue to push the Big Lie heading into 2024, there’s no doubt that Lombardo will never betray his allies to do the right thing and defend our democratic institutions.
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