No More Names

It may be gone for now, but it's far from forgotten. When Governor Brian Sandoval (R-NRA) vetoed SB 221 last month, the gun lobby declared "Mission Accomplished". They did the same in April, when US Senator Dean Heller (R-NRA) joined in the Senate filibuster of (very) modest federal gun safety reform legislation.

What they failed to realize is that gun safety advocates refuse to give up. They want no more names. And that's why the Demand Action campaign and local activists gathered at Paradise Park today. They wanted to remember those who have recently died due to gun violence, and they were ready to call again for action to demand no more names are added to this list.








Yep, these people showed up at Paradise Park on a hot Monday morning. They baked under the sun... And sent a message to Nevada's Members of Congress, especially those who promised to take action but ultimately did not. (We're looking at you, Senator Heller and Rep. Joe Heck [R-???].)

And not only that, but a few Nevada legislators also showed up to ask Nevada's Members of Congress to do what Governor Sandoval refused to do. Assembly Member Ellen Spiegel (D-Henderson) began the rally by sharing her harrowing personal story of gun violence. She clearly had this in mind when she voted for SB 221. Why should other Nevadans face such unnecessary risk?




State Senator Justin Jones (D-Enterprise) also addressed the audience. He fought hard to pass SB 221. And against so many odds, it passed the full Legislature. But then, Governor Sandoval vetoed this bill to expand background checks for gun purchases. Senator Jones had choice words for Governor Sandoval, the gun lobby, and Nevada's Members of Congress who have yet to deliver on their promise to support the most basic of gun violence prevention measures.




And then, the group began reading names (of those who died due to gun violence). Ultimately, they were the reasons for today’s event. And they keep us asking why we allow this unbridled bloodshed to continue.

It happened at a "Congress on Your Corner" in Tucson. It happened at an IHOP in Carson City. It happened in a gated community in Sanford. It happened at a theater in Aurora. It happened at an elementary school in Newtown. It happened right here on the Las Vegas Strip. And it continues to happen all across the country.

Can we afford more? Do we want more names added to this roster?

In the Shadow of the NRA

While the nation has been debating gun safety reform in the wake of the Newtown, Connecticut, elementary school massacre, the NRA has staged a "seminar for elected officials" here in Nevada. Despite the growing demand for reform, NRA officials and a group of state legislators (plus a handful of local electeds) met behind closed doors in the "Battlefield Vegas" assault weapons playground shooting range in the shadow of Circus Circus and the northern reach of the Las Vegas Strip. No really, this happened... And ProgressNow Nevada was on hand to speak up for the voices the NRA is trying to silence.





Surprisingly, not too many legislators showed up. Among the ones who still did were Senator David Parks (D-Paradise) and Assembly Members Ellen Spiegel (D-Henderson), Michelle Fiore (R-Las Vegas), Heidi Swank (D-Paradise), and Andy Eisen (D-Paradise). In addition, Clark County Commissioner Tom Collins (D) and Las Vegas City Council Member Steve Ross attended. Yet while they arrived to meet with the NRA, Nevada Legislature leaders of both parties were notably absent. What's also fascinating is that none of the other legislators who accepted NRA campaign contributions (save Parks & Fiore) were spotted at Battlefield Vegas.

So all the elected officials who did attend today were greeted by ProgressNow, PLAN, Culinary Union, and other progressive protesters. Yet while most just drove in, two came out... For a few minutes. Ellen Spiegel briefly came out to talk to protesters, and she brought Heidi Swank with her. Spiegel plead her case of "wanting to listen to all sides and talk to everyone". ProgressNow's Brian Fadie responded by noting the closed door nature of this event, that the NRA doesn't seem to want to allow all sides a chance to have their say. And no mention was made by Spiegel or Swank of considering Senator Tick Segerblom's (D-Las Vegas) proposed gun safety legislation.

After providing a "peace offering" of donuts, defending their intent to "listen to all sides", and exchanging business cards, Spiegel and Swank returned inside the Battlefield Vegas compound. Again, no other elected official (who attended) came outside.







What happened today is very much a reflection of Nevada political history. Typically, the gun lobby has enjoyed immense "juice" in Carson City while gun safety advocates have been pushed into the shadows. Even despite the evidence showing the dangers of allowing so many high capacity military grade weapons in civilian communities, it's been incredibly difficult to convince Nevada lawmakers take this problem seriously.

Yet something also felt different about today. This happened just before President Obama's Second Inauguration & Martin Luther King Day, and shortly after the Newtown massacre & renewed calls for gun safety reform. The timing couldn't possibly be worse. And perhaps that's why so many legislators and local elected officials decided not to attend this NRA event.

So perhaps there's still the potential for change here in Nevada, but it certainly won't be easy.

Meet the Candidates: Assembly District 20 (Spiegel & Ivey)

The Henderson Democratic Club continued its great tradition of hosting candidate nights last night when we were greeted by mostly Legislature candidates all eager to introduce (or reintroduce) themselves to a room full of activists.







It was a long night, but certainly the kind of long night that political junkies can't get enough of. There was some "speechifying", but there were also some fascinating frank moments. And I figured I could at least do a good public service and provide some of the best highlights of the night here at the blog.

There were quite a few candidates who spoke last night, but I'll begin by highlighting the candidates in AD 20. Remember that this seat is unique in that's been uprooted from Boulder City & Mesquite, and moved to urban Paradise and North Henderson. This should be a safe Democratic pick-up this fall, so the action here will mostly be in the primary.

Since Gloria Bonaventura wasn't present at the forum last night, we just heard from State Assembly candidates Ellen Spiegel and Kent Ivey.

Ivey began the evening's program with an introduction. Apparently, he has quite the resume!



Spiegel was next, and she reminded the audience of her local ties. (She served as an Assembly Member from 2009-10.)



And then, the real fun began. Both candidates were asked about the state budget, but we saw different answers emerge. Here's Ellen Spiegel's response.



And here's Kent Ivey's.



Both sounded open to mining tax reform, and neither wanted to be completely pigeon holed. However, Ivey seems to be swinging out of right field with the sales tax hike. Weird. Meanwhile, Spiegel sounded more open to changing business taxes, which is quite interesting considering she's a small business owner herself and she previously represented a more Republican leaning swing district.

It looks like Democrats in AD 20 will be facing a tough choice. We'll have to see what happens in the next two months.

(And stay tuned tomorrow for more candidate info directly from the candidates.)

Leg Watch: Anonymous Hit Piece... Hits GOoPer in the You-Know-What

(By the way, welcome to Leg Watch! Next time the legislature is in session, I'll keep an eye on important legislation floating around Carson City. But for now, you can stop here to check up on the state legislature campaigns that are sometimes forgotten in the midst of the national campaign at our doorstep... But never dull!)



I first caught this on Saturday, when I was walking a neighborhood less than one mile from me in Green Valley. My Assembly Member, Ellen Spiegel, was the intended victim of this anonymous hit piece... A hit piece likely to have come from her Republican opponent or one of his allies. But whomever is responsible for it, they were too cowardly to own up to it...

And too stupid to do it smartly! For one, this was dropped in front of doors, bundled with ads for taco shops and pizzerias. Basically, it was bundled with "junk mail so crappy, it can't even go in the mailbox" and distributed as such. Usually for a hit piece like this, a campaign targets who they want to see it. I figured this would go to Independents and Republicans, but I found this in front of everyone's door. Do you really think any thinking Democrat would give this the time of day?

And even worse, this hit piece was not even going to all the right homes... As this was also being sent OUT OF DISTRICT! Yes, you heard me right. I saw more of these this morning when walking a neighborhood near Maryland & Pebble... An area FAR outside Assembly District 21! So not only did the perpetrator clumsily agree to send this out with junk ads for tacos and tires, but they couldn't even manage to send it entirely to people in the district!

And worse yet, this hit piece couldn't even get the facts right. Never did Ellen Spiegel vote to double her salary and/or "make taxpayers pay for it". Nope, that vote was actually a consideration of allowing for annual sessions of the legislature... You know, enabling our legislators to actually work for us more! (Plus there were many more things in AJR 6, nothing saying anything about raising lawmakers' salaries.)

So yet again, a group of Nevada Republicans (whoever they may actually be) got dirty... But couldn't be smart about their dirt. It was sent to the wrong houses, likely tossed directly into the garbage bin by many recipients, and contained outright lies that just took a little bit of research to debunk.

And worse yet, this may really backfire on them. Most of the neighbors I've spoken with don't even remember it. (It must have taken all of ten seconds for this to go from doorstep to trash can.) And of the ones that did remember it, they REALLY didn't like it. Again, a campaign needs to be smart when going negative... And this hit piece was anything but smart.

Oh, and by the way, did they really have to stoop so low as to find the most unflattering photo of Ellen they could find? Here's how she really looks.



Fools. I pity them sometimes. And this week, their botched attack on Ellen Spiegel is simply pitiful.

Scenes from the Henderson Democratic Club Last Night

Rory Reid, Ross Miller, and Ellen Spiegel (my great Assembly Member) were among the luminaries coming to visit us at the Henderson Democratic Club pizza party last night.

All in all, it was a great event. Rory answered some questions on taxes (he's interested in reform, but didn't want to single out mining), education (which he was REALLY eager to discuss), and jobs. Ross Miller spoke about voter registration and participation, as well as some factoids on Nevada becoming "The Delaware of the West" when it comes to business incorporation. (Interesting stuff!) Oh, and my favorite Assembly Member was there to connect with us... And provide an award for the outgoing Henderson Dems President!

Good times, I say... See what you non-Hendersonians are missing out on? ;-)

Scenes from Stonewall's Henderson Mixer on Monday!

Yes, yes, yes! Finally, Stonewall was here in my 'hood this week! We had a chance to speak with Assembly Member Ellen Spiegel, State Senator Joyce Woodhouse, Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto, and more!

It was great to actually speak to her directly about the recent issue of the Nevada DMV denying accurate driver's licenses for transgender persons, and she said she'd be on the case. Ellen Spiegel said she was proud to testify in support of SB 283 and be the 28th vote to override "Luv-Guv" Gibbons' veto of domestic partnerships. Joyce Woodhouse spoke about what she's doing in the Senate on education, renewable energy, the budget, and more.

All in all, it was very informative and very fun. And yes, I was so glad that we were able to do it so close to home! :-)