Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones speaks to Sol Up owner, Frank Rieger at Sol-Up in Las Vegas, to tout the historic federal investments across the state of Nevada to cut greenhouse gas emissions and bolster the regions clean energy economy. Wednesday, April 12, 2023. Jones was found by a federal judge to be “not truthful” over a legal issue regarding texts removed from his cellphone. The Nevada Republican Party is calling for the commissioner to resign.
Wednesday, May 17, 2023 | 4:53 p.m.
Commissioner Justin Jones announced today he is immediately stepping down as Vice Chair of the Clark County Commission.
“By stepping down as Vice Chair, I am hopeful that the ongoing and contested legal disputes in the Gypsum Resources litigation will not distract further from the important work of Clark County and the Board,” Jones said in an email from the county. “I remain focused on my work as a Clark County Commissioner and the constituents I have been elected to serve.”
U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Elayna Youchah ruled in April that Jones, who has served on the county commission since 2019, was “not truthful” about text messages removed from his personal cell phone amid a legal battle over a housing development in Blue Diamond.
Text messages from Jones’ personal phone dated Jan. 3, 2019 — shortly after his first days as a newly sworn-in commissioner — through April 17 of the same year were found to be deleted.
It is part of a larger, yearslong legal battle between Clark County and Gypsum Resources LLC, which is suing the county for breach of contract stemming from a stalled housing project overlooking Red Rock Canyon.
Since the federal judge’s ruling, the Nevada Republican Party and members of the community have called upon the Democrat to resign.
The board will appoint a new vice chair at an upcoming county commission meeting, but it is unclear when exactly that will be.
Casey Harrison contributed to this report.
