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Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev. walks into the new Nevada Democratic Party Field Office on primary election night in Henderson on Tuesday, June 12, 2012.
By Anjeanette Damon (contact) 
Published Wednesday, July 11, 2012 | 2 a.m.
Updated Wednesday, July 11, 2012 | 12:03 p.m.
Sun coverage
- Formal ethics investigation likely to dog Berkley for duration of Senate campaign (07-10-2012)
- House Ethics Committee to launch full investigation into allegations against Berkley (07-09-2012)
- Berkley could learn fate of ethics probe Monday (07-08-2012)
- Berkley addresses ethics probe (06-09-2012)
- House committee conducting ethics probe of Rep. Shelley Berkley (03-23-2012)
- More Sun political news
Chalk this one up as the blind squirrel happening upon the proverbial nut.
In a year when the Nevada Republican Party has been noted almost exclusively for its dysfunction, it may have gotten it together long enough to pull off at least one coup.
Last September, two weeks after the New York Times published an investigation into whether U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley pushed for polices that would benefit her husband’s medical practice, the Nevada Republican Party filed a detailed complaint against her with the Office of Congressional Ethics.
That simple action — usually characteristic of a finely tuned campaign machine — now has some potential to help Republicans take over the majority in the U.S. Senate. And it may be a lone bright spot for a state party that continues to be plagued by problems.
Outgoing Nevada State GOP chairwoman Amy Tarkanian and State GOP chair hopeful Michael McDonald descend the stairs from a meeting with campaign representatives Sunday morning. They take a look at the caucus ballot counting going on below as they come downstairs. David McGowan, Rick Santorum's campaign director, comes down the stairs behind them.
“Imagine that,” said Amy Tarkanian, who as chairwoman of the state party in 2011 signed the complaint against Berkley.
In a fairly unusual move after reviewing a subsequent report from the Office of Congressional Ethics, the House Ethics Committee has formed a subcommittee to launch a formal investigation into whether Berkley broke house rules when she lobbied to protect Medicare reimbursement rates for kidney care and joined with the rest of the Nevada delegation to help save the sole kidney transplant center in Las Vegas.
Berkley’s husband, Dr. Larry Lehrner, is a nephrologist whose practice had a contract with University Medical Center, which houses the transplant center, to provide kidney care.
The fact that the ethics committee formed a subcommittee isn’t an indication that Berkley is guilty of crossing ethical boundaries, and she has maintained her work was motivated by protecting patient care, not her family’s finances. As her campaign points out, Berkley has been a fierce advocate for better health care on a number of fronts.
Still, the committee’s action means Berkley will have to contend with a formal ethics investigation hanging over her head for the duration of her Senate campaign against Sen. Dean Heller.
The race, which so far has been fought on a razor-thin margin, is one of the most closely watched in the country. It is one of a handful that will determine whether Democrats keep control of the Senate.
Tarkanian said the case first came to her attention when a former RNC finance chairman and Nevada Senate candidate John Chachas emailed her the New York Times story. She then worked with the national party and former state party Executive Director David Gallagher to craft the complaint.
“We worked together with national to make sure the verbiage was OK, I stamped it, and we sent it out,” Tarkanian said.
Most often, such complaints are a campaign ploy that result in a few press releases and maybe an ad or two. Usually they involve the Federal Election Commission, which typically moves at glacial speed and has a hard time winning a majority on the politically split panel to take action.
The ethics complaint against Berkley, however, is more than just a press release in the making. In the past three years, the committee has opened only one other formal investigation after receiving a report from the Office of Congressional Ethics, which most often reviews information from multiple sources in crafting its report. That report won't be public until the committee finishes its work.
Still, the ethics complaint isn’t exactly an unknown to Berkley, who launched her Senate campaign with the full knowledge that it would be something with which she would have to contend. And her campaign has carefully planned for how to deal with it.
But for the Nevada Republican Party, the decision to file the complaint was a high point.
Indeed, the state party — which is now plagued by in-fighting, a rogue contingent of Ron Paul loyalists and an embattled chairman — appeared to be on the path to better organization under Tarkanian, who was compelled to resign when her husband decided to run for Congress.
As one insider put it: “Those were our glory days.”
This story has been edited to better explain the role of the Office of Congressional Ethics.
Not to worry Harry Reid will get the fix in for this.
Is any of the Berkley money overseas
The Republican WAR ON WOMEN continues, they want to hurt children with bad kidneys as well. his is all made up by talk radio nuts like Rush Limberger and Sean Insannity.
mred, you are either blind or ignorant. 5 D's and 5 R's.... yeah, it's all the R's fault. WOW!!
Nevada is much like a developing 3rd world nation. It is far lacking in its infrastructure, and has grown in population but did not step up to the plate to encourage doctors and medical facilities in line with the exponential growth. As a matter of fact, Nevada has been discouraging doctors and research clinics, unjustly turning them away and the services that they provide. Congresswoman Berkley on the other hand, "...has maintained her work was motivated by protecting patient care, not her family's finances. As her campaign points out, Berkley has been a fierce advocate for better health care on a number of fronts."
Year after year, Shelly Berkley has had Nevadans and Americans first and foremost in her actively promoting quality and increased medical care. Just look at the new Veteran's Hospital. Every television interview in her career has always had her addressing medical care for our citizens! Both R's and D's have NOT made such efforts, making THEM look bad, so they are motivated to try and tear down the credibility of Shelly Berkley. In my humble opinion, in my observations since moving to this state. When it comes to talking about my medical care in this state and country, Congresswoman Shelly Berkley is speaking for me in our government. I am in good hands, because she genuinely CARES!!! The rest of those career politicians only give repeated lip service. Both parties. Most citizens are grateful for Shelly standing up for them as their voice in government.
So many folks had been left with having to leave Nevada for medical care before Shelly Berkley came to the scene. Had Congresswoman Shelly Berkley not supported those who require live-giving kidney services, those folks would surely suffer more, even die.
Congresswoman Berkley was faced with a dilemma--to either abandon those in medical crisis, those who are unable to drive across state lines for medical care, or to set in place services for these folks. As any of you know, there is RISK in any thing one does, especially when in business and dealing with the public. The offerings to provide services was open to everyone, each party calculated their level of participation and exposure to risk. As it turns out, the NEED for kidney services was not only there, but has opened the door for others to now safely venture into it with less risk because need and care has been established. Nevada has a growing population of folks needing kidney care facilities that will continue expanding.
We all should be "united on one thing." That is FOR quality of life for Nevada and American Citizens!
Blessings and Peace,
Star
GOP needs to file an ethics complaint against NAG Masto too - see Nevada ANTI-Corruption SUMMER PROTEST Nevada AG Catherine Cortez Masto = CORRUPT CU_T
http://youtu.be/-lN4YWCZMrc
The standard line for Las Vegas healthcare is..."If you're sick, then head to the airport to get some good treatment!"
Though the lines in the blowing sand may indict Shelley Berkley, the truth will set her free.
The strong need for medical infra-structure in this region has been the driving force for more and better facilities to accommodate the rising senior citizen need and the failed health of many of the growing class of folks whose health care dissolved when they lost their jobs.
Without substantial incentives, few medical providers find much value in our marketplace. In fact we need all the incentives we can find. Ms. Berkley was successful. We need her initiative and her input. We need more Shelleys and fewer Deans, IMHO. But don't ask me, ask a dialysis patient. Ask a senior citizen. Ask a nurse or doctor. Ask someone who needs help.
Nice synthesis, A.D.
I can't decide if it's her pure arrogance over the matter that is so offensive. Or if it's the "everyone else does it so why not me?" tone.
No, I think it's the "let them eat cake" theme really makes my blood boil.
Any way you look at it, she has handled the matter in the same way as Ensign and Gibbons and should expect the same results.
of course..gop has nothing for America but excuses and witch hunts of democratics....voter suppresion...immigration fiasco's,,war on women..war on the middle class...financial greed and ineptitude..down with all repug obstructionist racist thieves screwing the averg..American
one wonders what could happen if NV republicans were united on, say, re-training the long term unemployed or creating access to health care for all.
GOVERNMENT/POLITICS is a VICE (Vertically Integrated Criminal Enterprise) which serves the interests of the few under the ruse of serving the interests of the whole.
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Lobbying the government not to cut your husbands reimbursement rate....naw, nothing to see here.
She will be Ok even if the ethics committee punishes her.
Democrats have an extremely low bar for ethics and will just fine with this.
So what that she worked hard to make sure that money flowed into their family's checking account?
If you can't help yourself then why be a US Senator?
She is like the Joe Hecks in this world, spending her political capital on her own family just as Joe is trying to pass legislation so he can keep from paying a tid-bit of his pay into a fund for retirement.
Shelley and Joe are doing the same thing in that they are doing things that can be construed as benefiting themselves. The big difference is the hundreds of thousands of sick folks whose health and well-being are directly linked to what Shelley has done for all of us...big difference, huh??
Even uglier and more corrupt than Nasty Pelosi.
Shelley Berkley has been around well past her due date. If she was honorably she would resign and recommend a replacement. But she isn't so we get more of this crap. More from the 3 trick pony (Vets-Israel and Her Husband's business).
Proud to say I have never voted for her.
"so he can keep from paying a tid-bit of his pay into a fund for retirement"
So if he stays into the plan he will put in about $200 a month for like 12 years. About $30k total....When he retires, he will get additional $50k to $60k for life.
Heck would be much better off financially to pay into the pension plan.
I think you should stick to art and literature subjects.
Thank you Congresswoman Berkley your dedication has helped save lives.It reinforces my desire to work on your campaign and help you get reelected.
Sgt Crock,
Heck is spending his time as our elected official trying to change laws so he can do as he pleases with his retirement situation, being an aging and not successful medical practitioner. Heck is trying to use his political power to help Joe Heck.
Berkley has spent her life addressing the medical needs of the community, the abuse of veterans and international issues affecting peace, commerce and national security.
And I spend my time rebuilding houses, implementing energy upgrades, buying and selling properties. My little group has operations in many states and several countries because we do what we do quite well and there is significant demand for expertise. Tell us what art and literature have to do with energy, property values, and what you understand about how things are....answer...nada
Sgt Crock says about Doctor Heck, the elected official who whiles away his time as an elected official trying to pass legislation that specifically helps Joe Heck...
"So if he stays into the plan he will put in about $200 a month for like 12 years. About $30k total....When he retires, he will get additional $50k to $60k for life.
Heck would be much better off financially to pay into the pension plan.
I think you should stick to art and literature subjects."
So here we have a cop saying it's fine with him that an elected official spends his time trying to pass laws so the personal benefit to himself is multiplied at the expense of all of us while on the payroll of all of us to do public work...and then telling a literate contractor to stop making energy upgrades all around the country and the planet because I happen to be literate as well as knowledgeable and experienced in performing major upgrades and in instructing others to address serious issues in energy.
Aren't we blessed to have such well-intentioned public officials?