Nevada Republican gubernatorial candidate Joe Lombardo attends the America First rally at Treasure Island Friday, July 8, 2022.
Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022 | 2 a.m.
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Longtime readers know that the Las Vegas Sun has never taken kindly to people of stunted ethics or those who abuse power. Through the years, we’ve stood up for the public interest against the likes of the mob, Sen. Joe McCarthy, Richard Nixon, Sen. Pat McCarran and, most recently, the family of Sheldon Adelson.
We weathered these attacks by powerful people bent on silencing the Sun because of a determination on the part of our owners and our staff to serve our community honestly and with passion. We are determined to stand against people who abuse their power to victimize others for their personal gain. And we continue to be buoyed by our readers and others who stand behind our efforts.
All of this brings us to the sad case of Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo, who has soiled what might have been a promising career in public service by showing himself as a political weakling who groveled for endorsements and now yields to his own corrupt impulses and personal vendettas. In so doing, he joins a parade of dishonorable politicians who represent the worst of this nation.
It’s true, this editorial board has been critical of Lombardo. We’ve described his actions as cowardly and his transformation from a once-principled and admired leader to a MAGA extremist and election denier as pathetic. It’s worth noting that we have endorsed him in the past — we were fooled, like he fooled the voters. Indeed, some of our criticism is born from the shock at discovering dimensions of how he fooled us all.
We’ve called attention to his unwillingness to participate in debates or answer even the most simple and straightforward questions, even while asking the people of Nevada to donate to him, vote for him and support him. Clearly, he considers the public deserving of no information. And it appears he thinks of voters as idiots.
We have noted his willingness to opt for a scorched-earth strategy against a former friend, Gov. Steve Sisolak. He donated to and volunteered for Sisolak’s campaign, and served on the governor’s transition committee, but now falsely calls him a crime-loving socialist because it scores political points with Lombardo’s MAGA base.
And we have discussed the sense of betrayal felt across Southern Nevada as Lombardo, a man who once supported reasonable gun safety reforms such as universal background checks and restrictions on certain high-capacity magazines, mocked the memories of the Oct 1 victims by declaring himself to be an unlimited gun rights absolutist. Again, this spineless flip-flop by Lombardo was because, when confronted with what he knew was right vs. political expediency, he opted to save his political hide.
Each of these decisions are the acts of a person of questionable character and a lack of the conviction and courage needed to lead this state.
We have repeatedly invited him, and other Republican candidates, to submit columns to our paper and directly address our readers. The only caveat we have placed on those submissions is the same we place on all guest columns — that assertions of fact must be supported by evidence. While other Republican candidates, including a 2022 Republican primary candidate for governor, saw their columns published, the response from Team Lombardo has been crickets.
Our reporters, who are not part of the editorial board of this paper and operate separately, struggle to get the most basic questions answered by the cipher that is Sheriff Lombardo. Meanwhile, he will soon receive an invitation to meet with our editorial board for the election to explain his policies and positions. We aren’t holding our breath, as the sheriff routinely runs away from honest questions.
Despite all of this, we were shocked to learn this week that Lombardo appears to be soliciting people into a conspiracy to drive the Sun and its owner, Brian Greenspun, out of business.
As reported in Wednesday's Sun, when entrepreneur Stephen J. Cloobeck told Lombardo and others about his own upcoming media company, Lombardo immediately jumped to an astonishing place and texted: “Maybe start by putting Brian Greenspun out of business.” Greenspun, of course, owns the Las Vegas Sun.
In the text string, Lombardo then sought to arrange a meeting to conspire with Cloobeck on plans to destroy a media company that the sheriff dislikes.
What Lombardo didn’t anticipate was that Cloobeck is a citizen who has for decades taken the well-being of Nevada seriously. He’s taken an oath as a public servant to protect the state. And he saw what all readers surely saw as well: Lombardo appears intent to use whatever power he wields to victimize those he dislikes and, presumably, reward those he likes. This is the definition of abuse of power, and there is no place for public officials with enemies lists in today’s world.
When confronted with Lombardo’s corruption, Cloobeck, who has been critical of the Sun in the past, immediately sent the text string to the Sun, to Clark County Commissioners and to Attorney General Aaron Ford. His actions demonstrate he clearly holds the ideas of proper government and the importance of independent media voices to be paramount.
This is something basic from middle-school civics classes, but in today’s strange world, it needs restating: Elected and appointed officials are never supposed to act on their personal vendettas or personal favoritism.
What Lombardo has just announced is that he is eager to use power to victimize people and companies he dislikes and — this is always the flip side of the coin — to benefit those he likes. This is disgraceful and corrupt, and it disqualifies Lombardo from holding any office.
Significantly, Lombardo’s campaign didn’t deny his texts or his intent. A spokesperson appeared to try to justify the texts by saying Greenspun is a “left-wing activist.” In so doing, Lombardo has clearly stated who is on his enemies list and who will be victimized going forward if he is allowed to wield power: anyone to the left of him. This is the way autocrats campaign.
There is no room for this type of corruption and conspiracy in public life. Voters should not have to worry about Lombardo victimizing them because he is angry at them. Nor should anyone who carries a badge bring their personal animosities to work with them.
It’s not as if Lombardo is unaware of a sheriff’s obligation to be a nonpartisan office. He has held the position for seven years.
Lombardo’s attempted scheme is unethical and immoral, and he has an opportunity to take a dignified step forward: He should step down from his position as sheriff immediately.
The decision to step down is his alone but since he is asking voters to trust him for higher office, he should trust the voters who have overwhelmingly elected a highly qualified successor, Kevin McMahill, who is waiting in the wings.
Frankly, after McMahill won, Lombardo should have stepped down anyway, because the residents of and visitors to Clark County deserve a full-time sheriff, not a candidate who spends too much time searching for the next MAGA boot to lick.
If he has any sense of honor at all, Lombardo will step down and let a serious and qualified sheriff assume a job he will have in a few months anyway. Any less is another betrayal of the public trust by Joe Lombardo.
As for his gubernatorial run, now that voters know a Lombardo administration will likely be a parade of vengeance on one hand and corrupt favors on the other, he must be rejected.
