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Published Monday, Jan. 21, 2013 | 12:55 p.m.
Updated Monday, Jan. 21, 2013 | 4:15 p.m.
Booking photo of Assemblyman Steven Brooks of North Las Vegas.
Sun archives
Update: Nevada Assemblyman accused in threat hospitalized
Steven Brooks, the Democratic assemblyman arrested for threatening the Democratic leader, said he plans to come to Carson City this week, setting up a potentially tense situation as the Legislature prepares to review the state’s budget Tuesday night.
“I’m innocent,” Brooks told Las Vegas journalist Jon Ralston.
In a series of messages with the Las Vegas Sun, Brooks said that he would hold a news conference and planned to come to Carson City today.
It was not entirely clear right now if Brooks would be allowed in the Legislative Building in Carson City.
Assembly Majority Leader William Horne, D-Las Vegas, said the Legislature will “go through with our training and the rest of the Legislative process. That’s not going to change.”
When asked if Brooks would be welcome, Horne said: “If the LCB (Legislative Counsel Bureau) deems that it will not be safe to have Mr. Brooks here, I’m sure they’ll take precautions accordingly. ... Whether that means keeping Mr. Brooks out of the building or not — that has not been conveyed to me as of yet.”
When asked if Assembly Speaker-elect Marilyn Kirkpatrick, D-North Las Vegas, was seeking a temporary restraining order against Brooks, he said, “It would not surprise me if that has occurred.”
The Assembly Ways and Means Committee and Senate Finance Committee are scheduled to have a training session Tuesday evening ahead of budget reviews that begin Wednesday morning.
Both Kirkpatrick and Brooks, also a Democrat from North Las Vegas, are on the Assembly Ways and Means Committee.
Brooks is free on bail, though some lawmakers are already discussing the possibility of preventing him from serving in the 2013 Legislative session.
Brooks, 40, told Sen. Kelvin Atkinson, D-North Las Vegas, that Kirkpatrick’s “first day as speaker would be her last,” according to a source speaking on the condition of anonymity. Police arrested Brooks without incident Saturday one count of intimidating a public officer by threat of physical violence. A source said he was found with a loaded gun. Atkinson did not respond to requests for comment.
Legislative police, meanwhile, have been assigned to protect lawmakers, according to Legislative Counsel Bureau Director Rick Combs.
“We have a situation where we have legislators who obviously feel threatened,” Combs said. “Legislative police have responded.”
The process to expel a member of the Legislature is laid out in the Nevada Constitution.
It would require a two-thirds vote of all lawmakers to expel a member for “disorderly conduct.”
Caucus members and staff declined to comment on Monday, describing the situation as tense and fluid. Brooks had been unhappy he was not named chairman of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee. One lawmaker confirmed that Brooks had been trying to gather votes about two to three weeks ago to replace Kirkpatrick.
The situation in Carson City could become tense quickly. Members of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee and Senate Finance Committee will meet for orientation Tuesday night. They will begin preliminary hearings on Gov. Brian Sandoval’s budget on Wednesday morning.
Brooks posted bail around 10 p.m. Sunday, according to North Las Vegas Police Department Sgt. Tim Bedwell. His bail had been set $100,000.
Sun reporter Jackie Valley contributed to this story.
Take the vote and publish the results in the Sun. I for one would like to see who would vote to keep this guy around. He seems to have a mental disorder.
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An earlier story posted by David McGrath Schwartz quoted a source saying,
"Democratic sources with knowledge of the caucus said that Brooks' behavior in caucus meetings had been "erratic" and leadership had begun documenting his behavior."
The story also stated that Mr. Brooks had served as an assistant for Las Vegas City Councilman Ricki Barlow.
This raises questions about the past behavior of Mr. Brooks. Such as, did others know about him before this incident. Others being, Mr. Barlow or people who worked directly with Mr. Brooks? To go further, if this incident is an extension of Mr. Brooks behavior, why didn't the people who know of Mr. Brooks not speak out? Or better yet, how could Mr. Brooks real behavior escape the vetting of a political campaign?
Is this other case of a person with political ambitions having inside connections, being backdoored into a power position to serve at the pleasure of a special interest or political power broker? The people who of know Mr. Brook's true nature, afraid to speak out in fear of reprisal from a councilman or councilwoman or major?
This can be all wrong and a far reach. However, given the actions taken by law enforcement, and the sources and words by credible people involved, it appears the smoke we see is coming from a fire.
how's he going to get to carson city - walk?
i doubt he's going to be allowed to get onto any commercial aircraft
by now he's hit the no-fly list under patriot act
the fbi's already been notified and this guy's well on his way to welfare, foodstamps and section 8 land as an outstanding and upstanding obama-ite
then again, he could always open up a website with Erin Kenny, Lance Malone, Dario Herrera, and Mary Kincaid-Chauncey on how to secure fashionable prison garb
or he may get a call from obama in D.C. for the nod to pick up where eric holder left off - this guy would be perfect for fast-and-furious - or maybe as obama's new communist education czar
either way, i think his type is the reason obama's now spending $1 trillion a year on welfare programs - and why obama wants to spend even more
He's a Democrat. He'll be fine. We he a Republican.....his career in politics would be over, the media would demand that.
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This guy has a mental disorder. He should not be allowed in Carson City for the session. Kirkpatrick should get a restraining order. His guns should be taken away and he should get phychiatric help.
One things for sure, if he was a Rep. he'd be chastised in the media and everywhere else.
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The NRA will back him for a Congressional seat.