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Lawmakers, top officials continued raising campaign cash in two months post-election

Riley Snyder
Riley Snyder
Megan Messerly
Megan Messerly
Jacob Solis
Jacob Solis
LegislatureState Government
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Election night has come and gone, but Nevada’s elected officials continued to rake in campaign cash in the months preceding the 120-day legislative session.

Even state lawmakers and elected office-holders who won’t be back on the ballot for two more years at the earliest continued to bring in large campaign contributions in the last two months of 2018, according to campaign finance reports required to be filed with the secretary of state on Tuesday. The reports span Nov. 2 to Dec. 31.

Nevada lawmakers, the governor and the lieutenant governor are barred from receiving campaign contributions during the 120-day session and for 30 days prior to and after the session’s end. But because of how Nevada’s campaign finance reporting requirements are structured, the applicable reporting period only runs until Jan. 1, meaning any contributions brought in over the first four days of the new year won’t be reported until next year.

The “blackout” period means that Gov. Steve Sisolak — who has raised more than $1 million since the election — had to cease fundraising by Jan. 4. But the restriction does not apply to PACs, and the new governor also planned two inauguration events in January, with sponsorships costing up to $50,000.

In the two month period, Sisolak raised a total of $1.3 million and spent a little more than $1 million over the same time period. The Nevada Independent detailed those contributions here.

For a look at how much the state’s other top elected officials raised — including the attorney general, lieutenant governor and legislative leadership — as well as what contribution Nevada’s newly appointed lawmakers have raked in since taking office, read below.

Aaron Ford

Attorney General Aaron Ford reported raising nearly $160,000 in the last two months of the year, including $10,000 from the Cosmopolitan, $10,000 from philanthropists Daniel and Brianne Ziff, $5,000 from the American Resort Development Association, $5,000 from R&S Leasing, $5,000 from the Orleans Hotel & Casino, $5,000 from the Nevada Realtors PAC, $5,000 from Marnell Gaming, $5,000 from Republican consultant Pete Ernaut, $5,000 from the South Point Hotel and Casino and $5,000 from Cox Communications.

Ford spent $94,000 over that same time period, including contributing $18,400 to the Nevada State Democratic Party and other expenses related to staff, special events and consultants.

Kate Marshall

The new lieutenant governor reported raising more than $129,000 over the fundraising period, with the vast majority — $127,000 — raised in the period following the election.

Marshall, who defeated Republican candidate Michael Roberson in the November election, took large contributions from some of the state’s major gaming companies after the election, including $20,000 from two MGM Resort properties, $10,000 from the Las Vegas Sands, $6,000 from the Grand Sierra Resort, $5,000 from Wynn Resorts and $5,000 from Boyd Gaming.

Other large contributions included $10,000 from the Nevada Realtors PAC, $5,000 from the law firm of Eglet Prince, $5,000 from Burger King, $5,000 from Barrick and $5,000 from NARAL Pro-Choice America PAC.

She reported spending roughly $63,000 over the reporting period, primarily on payments to consultants and staff.

Legislative leadership

Democratic Speaker Jason Frierson raised a little more than $52,000 over the two-month reporting period, including $6,500 from the Associated General Contractors Build PAC, $5,000 each from title loan company Titlemax and the Orleans Hotel & Casino, $4,000 from the Palace Station Hotel & Casino and a pair of $3,000 donations from used car company Copart and insurance company Employers EIG.

He spent roughly $35,000 over the same period, including $11,856 paid to the Assembly Democratic Caucus for paid staff, advertising, special events and other contributions. He also contributed $5,000 each to two new members of his caucus, Rochelle Nguyen and Bea Duran.

Republican Assembly Leader Jim Wheeler reported raising a little more than $23,000 in November and December, including $5,000 from Farmers Employee Agent PAC and $2,000 each from the Nevada Realtors PAC, Tesla, the salvage car company COPART and Manufactured Home Community Owners.

He spent a little less than $27,000 over that same time period, including expenditures related to advertising, polling and special events.

Democratic state Senate Majority Leader Kelvin Atkinson reported raising more than $449,000 over all of 2018, including about $82,000 after the 2018 election.

Top post-election contributions to Atkinson included $5,000 from Barrick, $5,000 from Boyd Gaming, $5,000 from online vehicle auction provider COPART, $5,000 from Cox Communications, $5,000 from the International Union of Operating Engineers and $5,000 from R&S Investment Properties.
He reported spending $165,000 throughout the year, including some large contributions to other candidates and PACs, including $10,000 to the Nevada Senate Democrats.

Republican Senate Leader James Settelmeyer reported raising just over $37,000 in the post-election period, and more than $281,000 throughout the calendar year. Top contributors included $2,500 from the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce, $2,500 from the Manufactured Home Community Owners, $2,500 form Farmers Insurance Employee and Agent PAC, $2,500 from Pfizer and $2,500 from Nevada Health PAC, affiliated with the Nevada Hospital Association.

He totaled nearly $50,000 in expenses over the reporting period, the bulk of which came via a $25,000 transfer to the Nevada Jobs Coalition, the PAC supporting Republican state Senate candidates.

Appointed lawmakers

Although they won’t be up on the ballot until 2020, several of the lawmakers appointed to fill vacant seats spent portions of the last two months raising funds ahead of the legislative session.

Freshman Bea Duran has raised $11,500 since being appointed to the Assembly on Dec. 18 to fill Assemblywoman Olivia Diaz’s seat.

Most of her contributions came from fellow Democratic lawmakers, including $5,000 from the Committee to Elect Jason Frierson, $1,000 from the Assembly Democratic Caucus, $1,000 from the Committee to Elect Tyrone Thompson and $1,000 from Friends for Lesley Cohen. She also received $1,000 from the Nevada Strong PAC, $1,000 from Citizens for Justice and $500 from the AFL-CIO.

She reported just $267 in spending during the same period, a single payment for a hotel room.

Rochelle Nguyen, appointed to fill the vacant Assembly seat of newly-appointed state Sen. Chris Brooks, raised $17,450 in the most recent filing period. Her top donors also largely include Democratic colleagues, including $5,000 from the Committee to Elect Jason Frierson, $2,000 each from the campaign of Assemblyman Mike Sprinkle and the law firm Maningo Law, and $1,000 each from the campaigns of Assembly Democrats Daniele Monroe-Moreno, Maggie Carlton, Teresa Benitez-Thompson, Steve Yeager, Tyrone Thompson and Lesley Cohen.

Nguyen also reported just over $950 in expenses, including an airplane flight, office supplies and $200 to herself in loan forgiveness.

New state Sen. Dallas Harris, appointed to fill the seat of Attorney General Aaron Ford, reported raising $38,250 over the reporting period. The largest chunks of her haul including $10,000 contributions from Atkinson’s Leadership PAC and fellow appointed state Sen. Chris Brook’s campaign account. She also received $5,000 from Citizens for Justice Trust, $5,000 from the Clark County Education Association, $1,000 from Dollar Loan Center and $250 from Advance America. She also received $1,000 from a PAC affiliated with Democratic state Sen. Joyce Woodhouse and another $1,000 from defeated state Senate candidate Julie Pazina’s campaign.

She reported spending only $466, including $36 on office expenses and $139 to herself for loan forgiveness.

Assemblyman Gregory Hafen, appointed to replace the deceased Dennis Hof, reported raising $1,000 over the reporting period, $500 from the Nevada Credit Union League and $500 from the Associated General Contractors PAC. He did not report any spending.

This story was updated at 8 AM on Wednesday with more reports.

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