JUDGE FINDS DEM NV SEN. CANNIZZARO ILLEGALLY USED GOV LAWYERS

Nov. 20, 2019

Rob Lauer Political Reporter

Nevada Senate Republicans filed a lawsuit earlier this year accusing Democrats of violating the State Constitutional rule requiring a two thirds vote to pass 2 tax increases in the 2019 session. The taxpayer funded Legislative Counsel Bureau showed up to court representing Democrat Senators in the case. Legislative Counsel Bureau is supposed to be a nonpartisan group of lawyers who provide guidance to all members of the legislature and assist in writing laws. Republicans objected to the Legislative Counsel Bureau’s representation of Democrat Senators in their motion.

Legislative Counsel Bureau was representing Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro who was named in the lawsuit. Carson City NV District Court Judge Todd Russell ordered the Legislative Counsel Bureau to stop representing Cannizzaro and told her to get her own outside counsel. Judge Russell stated “It appears to this court there is a need for LCB to maintain neutrality with respect to all members of the Legislature. LCB in my opinion has always been very neutral to everybody. I just don’t think you can pick sides by representing individual senators against other senators.”

Judge Russell admonished LCB counsel Kevin Powers for “picking sides”.

No word on whether Sen. Cannizzaro will reimburse tax payers for the illegal use of the Legislative Counsel Bureau.