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By J. Patrick Coolican (contact) 
Thursday, Dec. 30, 2010 | 2:01 a.m.
Related story
Brian Sandoval
Sun coverage
Gov.-elect Brian Sandoval has remained on the payroll of the powerful law and lobbying firm Jones Vargas even as he’s named staff, prepared legislation and his budget, and begun readying himself to take office Monday.
Mary-Sarah Kinner, Sandoval’s spokeswoman, said his last day is Friday. He’s not been involved in the firm’s government-affairs practice, she said.
Sandoval, a Republican, was hired by the firm in 2009 after he stepped down from the federal bench to run for governor.
At the time, Sandoval was open about the fact that he was recruited to run by two longtime Reno friends, Pete Ernaut and Greg Ferraro, who are Republican lobbyists at two separate firms.
When hired by Jones Vargas, Sandoval addressed questions about whether the job created a conflict of interest. He said there were fire walls in place to protect against untoward influence of him by the firm’s lobbying clients.
Still, given the firm’s clients — the state’s largest gaming, mining, utility, banking, insurance and hospital companies and trade associations — the perception of a conflict has been difficult to avoid, especially given that he’s remained with the firm even as he’s planned his administration since his crushing November victory over Democrat Rory Reid. (As it happens, Reid is a partner in another powerful law and lobbying firm, Lionel Sawyer & Collins.)
“Do you think that’s a conflict of interest?” Dave Damore, a UNLV political scientist, asked rhetorically with a hearty laugh. “Yeah, obviously it raises a red flag. But at the end of the day, this is Nevada, and it’s not that surprising.”
By this Damore means Nevada has traditionally been a politically incestuous state, with a few players from a few dominant industries and their lobbyists running things in Carson City, the revolving door between private interest and public service often swinging with windy gusto.
Former state senator and current Republican Party Chairman Mark Amodei, for instance, was head of the Nevada Mining Association while still in office. Former Assembly Ways and Means Chairman Morse Arberry, a Democrat, began locking up lobbying clients before he left office.
Launce Rake, a spokesman for the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, a liberal advocacy group, expressed disdain, but also resignation: “It seems inappropriate, but not surprising. Our state has been run for a long time by those with a deep-seated interest in maximizing profit and minimizing public benefit.”
During the 2009 legislative session, Jones Vargas clients included what is now Caesars Entertainment, International Game Technology, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Herbst Gaming, Eli Lilly, Merck, NV Energy, Nevada Bankers Association, Western States Petroleum, AT&T, Citi and Anthem, among others.
That's why he will flop. He won't go against the people that put us in this mess. A bought and paid for "golden boy." (If you got the gold, this boy's for you.) (A Republican Dario Herrera? we will see)
My gosh, we're screwed. He'll rape and pillage the middle class in Nevada to satisfy puppet masters. And the first ones he'll go after are teachers, fire fighters, police and State employees. Then he'll work down from there. Basically, he'll start a war on poverty. No. Not that kind of war where he will help people. He will be determined to start a jihad to make EVERYONE a pauper. A sort of reverse Robin Hood. Steal from the poor to help the filthy rich.
Another king in Nevada. Replacing the deposed and disgraced incompetent king from before.
This guy is in the pockets of pretty much the most richest and most influentials big businesses in Nevada.
We're screwed.
Very good article. Shows that all the Harry haters helped to elect a company shill. Rednecks are a dying breed-thank God-but they thrive in Nevada.
10th Grade and out. Our motto is "Want fries with that?" "Your car will be coming shortly". "Drinks, cocktails?" Pitiful.
But the voters of Clark County asked for this. There should be an IQ test for voters.
When will Nevada elect a person from the people, not a grow the government or special interest type, someone that really has walked the Nevada Mile and relates to everyday Nevadans, as long as Corporate and Government creatures are pulling the levers. . . the disconnect continues and grows with only ourselves to blame?
look at this greasy slippery big toothed phony smiling clown...
he is in the hip pocket of big business and the rich...
this is a call to arms my fellow democrats...
i have a very bad feeling about this toothy clown...
we must squish this maggot...
starting right now!!!
Who cares? He's sooooo good lookin' AND Hispanic. Yaaaaaaaaaay NEVADA!
Most politicians are LAWYERS and that is the only thing I see wrong with Sandoval. I know he will not forget his friends but I hope his ol buddies respect his power and office and do not abuse him or his position. If they do, then they were never his friend. I hope he understands that, or next election, we will go hunting for his replacement.
Awe what the heck.....lobbyist have ran the government for years now, nothing new here, business as usual.
Cooli-cant. You've obviously been assigned as the dog to chase Sandoval's car. I truly trust, given that you're such a fine, ethical, unbiased writer, that the same story would have run if Reid would have been elected. Because as you did note, shockingly, Reid also works for a powerful lobbyist firm. Change the name and law firm and this same story applies to Reid. Tell me Cooli-cant, you would have published that story, right? It's almost like you're trolling, just to stir things up. You're a hack.
And Rory would have had less of a conflict? Remember the stories from Jon about him?
Get real, this is Nevada. Don't like it? Elect people who will change the laws.
If we did elect someone who wasn't bought out by special interest, we would turn our backs on him as soon the smear campaign started.
Sample Articles from the two local rags:
Many have abandoned the Gov-elect policies.....
Polls shows new Govenor is losing support ........
Detractors call for new direction from Govenor.......
New poll suggest Govenor reelection is in trouble......
As they sell newspaper space, and T.V. time with negative or planted stories, we are like act rats on a sinking ship. Oh no, where were you when state senator Joe Neal wanted to increase the Gaming tax, only to the point where it equaled Mississippi's. A couple of stories on how Gaming might cut jobs ( during a an economic boom) and you disappeared.
Lets face it, when it's time to stand up and fight for what's right we play musical chairs.
Hopefully Sandoval will get out and meet some of the state employees that will be working for him. Gibbons never made an effort.
Time for Nevadans to take back their state.
Hope he starts by canceling all unions, slashing pensions and getting money direct from Clark County and the cities. Way to much fat out there, and he needs to get the money the state needs from there not by taxes
To the victor belong the spoils! Belly up to the trough, boys!
Snarf, snarf, guzzle, snarf, snarf, guzzle, guzzle, snarf, ...
Someone with a brain at the LV Sun needs to do a historic overview on the bills and "prosecutions" or "investigations that former state legislator and AG Smooth Criminal has been involved with that relate to the banking industry as it relates to Nevada's current mortgage greed crisis.
There are some very interesting things out there still related to the needle that these law firms have threaded to protect their rich clients.