A Letter from Joey Gilbert to Sheriff Joe Lombardo

“Imitation IS the sincerest form of flattery…”  but enough already!

Every Candidate running for office in Nevada is welcome to submit an op-ed between now and the June Primary.

by Joey Gilbert 

Joey Gilbert (and Joe Lombardo) are both Republican Candidates for Governor.

Dear Joe,

It’s been over a year since we both headed out on the campaign trail as candidates for governor. During this time, we’ve rarely been in physical proximity, due to your fearful avoidance of the 4 debate invitations I’ve offered you – but I still feel we’ve become quite close.

While I’ve been traveling throughout Nevada with my unique ideas for solving our state’s challenges, you, ALSO have traveled throughout Nevada with MY unique ideas for solving our state’s challenges.

The only thing you haven’t copied from me yet (but there are still 7 weeks before the Primary), is calling yourself “Sheriff Joey” and changing the Metro uniforms to bright blue suits with red ties

I’m not upset about your yearlong inability to have even ONE “original” idea you haven’t stolen from me.  After all, “Imitation IS the sincerest form of flattery…” But if you’re going to steal my unique ideas and want to avoid looking and sounding foolish, you want to make sure you get them right and know what you’re talking about.

Here’s a few of many examples.

ISSUE:  Education and Taking Back Our Schools

This has been my signature issue for over a year, and I have a detailed, proven plan for accomplishing it.

My education ideas have received such a favorable response from voters, that you apparently decided to copy me and ALSO become an “education guy.”

• Recently, you started promoting, with no explanation, what you call a “Read by 3” plan. You say it would upgrade the education our children receive, but there’s a problem with that, Joe.

There is no such thing as a “Read by 3” plan.

If you mean the “Read by Third Grade” program, then your idea of a rigorous education goal is not having children read at grade level until they’re 9? It’s a good platform plank for your campaign, ONLY if you want to maintain Nevada’s 70-95% functional illiteracy rate.

• Then there’s the issue of the need to change the NRS- mandated “Restorative Discipline” program in our schools. You first heard about this from me and my school reform plan over a year ago. I’ve been spreading the word that a discipline policy that doesn’t hold students accountable for violent behavior would lead to danger and tragedy. And it has.

Most recently at my April 13 press conference, you heard me say that I would do away with Restorative Discipline on my first day as Governor.

It sounded to you like another good idea you should steal, so 8 days later, YOU talked with a voice of authority to the media. You told them that you would “repeal” the Restorative Discipline law if you get elected

You should never have committed yourself to taking an action that would be illegal.

Governors can’t repeal laws.

That means you, as governor, couldn’t do anything with Restorative Discipline except complain about it, and futilely beg a Left-loaded legislature to vote it out.

I know what you’re thinking. If you couldn’t repeal the Restorative Discipline law as Governor, then I couldn’t either – and my plan is no better than yours. My response would be: “That’s why I’m a lawyer…and you’re not.”

My press conference announced that I would first be declaring our dysfunctional and dangerous school system a state-wide “emergency” – and it is.  That would temporarily grant me full control of our schools, including the power to suspend any situations (or statutes) that are causing this emergency. That would include Restorative Discipline.

I would then be able to legally replace it with traditionally effective discipline. This temporary action would work so well in bringing our schools under control, that I believe the legislature would agree to repeal Restorative Discipline.  That’s the difference, Joe, between creating a good plan, and trying to rip-off someone else’s good plan that you don’t fully understand.

And don’t forget your position on Covid, aka: the”Flip-flop-and-Copy Joey” Plan.

You initially supported Sisolak by mandating vaccinations for new Metro hires. This cost you so many needed cop-applicants that you had to recruit in California. When public opinion raged against your decision, you suddenly opposed the vax mandate and began parroting what I have said in countless speeches for over a year: “Sisolak’s Covid mandates were designed to pick winners and losers.”

The education and Covid issues in this election are deadly serious business, just like the crime epidemic you’re responsible for in Clark County, and the water crisis you ignore.

Thus far in the campaign, you’ve just been a hobbyist riding my coat-tails. You’ve offered no proof of being a serious candidate who understands the issues and has his own valid ideas for resolving them.

Is that an unfair portrayal? Do you believe you truly are a legitimate candidate with at least a few ideas of your own?  You have yet to prove that. You haven’t once demonstrated the moral courage to respond to tough, unanswered questions in front of voters, like: What DID you do with the unaccounted-for $30 million you collected after the 2017 Shootings?

You have one last chance to prove you’re not just another bored, retired public figure who’s only running for office to try and remain relevant and stay in the limelight.

Consider this letter to be Invitation Number 5 to publicly debate me 1-on-1. It would be the no-holds-barred, “The Cop vs. The Fighter” match everyone wants and has been waiting for.  It would prove conclusively who IS – and who is NOT best prepared to lead this state.