Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Kihuen criticizes ads that link him to Barlow corruption probe

NV Dems press Conference 2016

Mikayla Whitmore

State Senator and CD4 candidate Ruben Kihuen speaks during a press conference by the Nevada State Democratic Party in Las Vegas, Nev. on June 15, 2016.

Democratic congressional candidate Ruben Kihuen called an attempt by Republicans to tie him to a Las Vegas city councilman under FBI investigation nothing more than a “smear attack” in an interview today.

The National Republican Congressional Committee is currently running ads against Kihuen highlighting his relationship with Las Vegas Councilman Ricki Barlow, whose campaign contributions are under investigation by the FBI’s public corruption squad. The politically connected public relations firm Kihuen works for has also had its records subpoenaed as part of the investigation.

Campaign records the councilman filed with the Nevada Secretary of State’s Office show that Barlow paid the firm, the Ramirez Group, $70,000 in March and May last year for consulting expenses. Kihuen, a principal at the firm, was on leave from the firm at that time, serving in the Legislature during its 2015 session, like he is now while running for Congress.

In an interview after a phone-bank kickoff this morning in North Las Vegas, Kihuen said that his integrity “has never once been questioned” during his 10 years in public office. Kihuen reiterated that, when Barlow used the Ramirez Group’s services, he was on a leave of absence in Carson City — “as a matter of fact, on a leave just like I was leading up to the primary and just as I am today.”

Kihuen acknowledged his relationship with Barlow, saying the councilman has been both a friend and a supporter. However, he added that he has “zero tolerance for political corruption.”

“Those allegations against him are serious and, if they are indeed true — and again that’s for the FBI to figure out — then obviously he’s going to have to pay the consequences,” Kihuen said.

After news of the investigation into the city councilman broke, Kihuen’s campaign donated a $1,000 campaign contribution from Barlow to the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth and removed Barlow’s name from his website.

Kihuen dismissed the attack from Republicans as nothing more than a last-ditch effort to win the election, adding that he is “very confident” that he will win the race.

“I’m out there talking to the people in the district. I’m out there earning their trust and support and they know better. They know better,” Kihuen said. “It’s just too much of a stretch for them to try to associate me with the situation.”

Kihuen is running against incumbent Republican Rep. Cresent Hardy for control of Nevada’s Democratic-leaning 4th Congressional district, which covers northern Clark County, southern Lyon County and all of Esmeralda, Lincoln, Mineral, Nye and White Pine counties.

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