Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

State Government:

Nevada legislator Fiore says she’ll discuss her tax troubles

A Day with Michele Fiore

Sam Morris / Las Vegas Sun

Michelle Fiore takes part in Alan Stock’s radio program May 8, 2014.

Assembly Majority Leader designate Michele Fiore has indicated that she will speak Tuesday about the more than $1 million she owes to the Internal Revenue Service.

Nearly two weeks have passed since columnist Jon Ralston first reported of Fiore’s private tax troubles, and Fiore, who’s slated to be chairwoman of the Assembly taxation committee, has yet to address the public about the 45 impending tax liens that date to 2003.

Las Vegas’ major news outlets have attempted to pin down Fiore about the tax issue. But she’s dodged all questions. Fiore is slated to go on Alan Stock’s conservative talk radio show Tuesday morning, according to her website. The show airs from 6-9 a.m. on KDWN-AM 720.

“I will also be setting the record straight about the attacks against me by people who want to create conflict in our Legislature,” she wrote on her website.

Fiore did not respond to interview requests for this story. Her fellow Republicans and Assembly leaders haven't commented, either.

“This is none of my business,” said Assemblyman Jim Wheeler.

Eric Herzik, a political science professor at UNR, said Fiore should address the matter publicly if she hopes to overcome skepticism about a person with tax troubles being chair of the taxation committee.

“It’s not comfortable,” he said. “But when you work in a public environment, you have to respond in the public interest.”

Fiore is among the loudest tax critics in the Assembly and is heading into her second term with clout: She is the No. 2 Assembly leader, and leading the the influential taxation committee adds to her sway.

She signed a no new tax pledge in 2013 and voted against continuing a controversial $650 million sunset tax package. The Nevada Policy Research Institute, a right-leaning think tank that will advise Fiore and Assembly Republican leadership in the upcoming session, distinguished her as the most conservative lawmaker in that session.

Those conservative bona fides are what helped launch her to the top ranks of the Nevada GOP this year. But they’ve also forced her into the spotlight.

Last week, it was reported that Fiore lost her spot as the chairwoman of the taxation committee. The Republican Assembly Caucus didn’t release an official statement. But Fiore preempted an official announcement by saying there was a “war on women” in the caucus. Those comments followed the Assembly Republican Caucus’ Dec. 2 decision to elect her as the first Republican woman to the majority leader position.

On Thursday, Assembly Speaker designate John Hambrick said Fiore was still the chairwoman of the taxation committee.

Fiore’s tax problems were coupled with other news of dysfunction within the Assembly GOP last week.

A leaked email from Fiore to members of her caucus warned of a movement by a coalition of Republicans and Democrats to oust Hambrick. Democrats last week denied they were targeting Hambrick.

The drama was the latest chapter in what’s been a whirlwind post-election season for Assembly Republicans.

Shortly after the GOP’s sweeping election day victory, the first Assembly member elected to the speaker spot, Ira Hansen, came under fire for insensitive columns he wrote in the Sparks Tribune. The backlash led to Hansen’s departure from the speaker slot.

During Hansen’s brief tenure at the top, the majority leader was Las Vegas Assemblyman Paul Anderson.

Once Hansen stepped down, the Republican Assembly caucus chose Hambrick and Fiore as the respective speaker and majority leader.

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