Wow. Just wow. How do people like the Clark County DA and Laxalt look at themselves in the mirror? Not to mention our fine judges, Kephart and Herndon?!
Herndon has defended his work but has been earnest enough to state that if he put an innocent man in prison it would be the worst thing in his life. Kephart remains an unrepentant idiot who has no place on the bench.
But this story is another reminder why "law and order" candidacies are often code words for win-at-all cost and care nothing about the destruction you are causing, whether you are s District Attorney or Bar Counsel.
Guest
Anonymous
November 9, 2017 8:06 pm
Eglet has a pocketbook? Absurd. Eglet has a vault.
Guest
Anonymous
November 9, 2017 8:23 pm
I don't believe the heads of law enforcement agencies(like the Sherriff or the D.A.) should be endorsing anyone in a political race. I understand that it may not be strictly prohibited in the same sense that sitting judges cannot endorse political candidates, but it is still rife with problems.
I understand, as a poster suggested, that he may have felt it was in his best interests to issue the endorsement, but the only races a sitting DA or a sitting Sherriff should endorse for, if even that, is for their preferred successor if they are retiiring.
But a sitting DA, and a sitting sheriff, should not endorse for a D or an R in a partisan legislative race. It is frought with many potential problems.
I am too lazy to list them,(and no one would have the patience and time to read them if I listed the problems) but that does not mean the problems don't exist. Or, perhaps I honestly can't think of any specific problems, but it just sounds like a bad idea.
Or it might just be that the other candidate worked for Wolfson albeit for a heartbeat, who presumably then knows his experience, and yet has endorsed someone else. Speaks volumes to me.
I agree with 12:23 that heads of law enforcement agencies(like Sheriff or D.A.)should avoid supporting candidates in partisan legislative races.
I realize it's not as perilous as situations where judges endorse candidates(which is directly prohibited). But just like people should have confidence in a (theoretically) neutral judiciary removed from becoming involved directly in political matters, they need to have that same confidence, and perhaps even more, in law enforcement.
For example, our Sheriff should avoid endorsing legislators(and I bet he will). If he were to start endorsing legislatures, it encourages the media to start digging. Let's say they determine that endorsed candidate is favored by gaming conglomerates, and this then invites the inquiry concerning the extent the Sheriff received funding from certain gaming groups in his 2014 election. And it was no secret that the Sheriff was heavily supported by gaming interests, while his general election opponent was not. If we then see the matter unfolding(which we did) where the gaming group , more than once, revised their time line on the shooting, and then we see the Sherriff abandoning Metro's earlier announced timelines, and adopting the gaming group's time lines, it could raise questions. And this happened more than once. Metro would conduct(an apparently exhaustive) investigation as to the time line relative to the shootings, and then felt compelled more than once to readily abandon it and adopt the gaming group's time line.
Personally, I think very highly of the Sheriff, and at no time do I believe that when charged with the monumental task of controlling a multi-faceted investigation, while at the same time needing to comfort and reassure the public and families of the victims, was he ever consciously aware of what casino groups donated what amount in his 2014 election. I really believe he was, at all times, laser focused on serving the community, getting answers, protecting everyone, and helping everyone to heal, as well as perhaps forming committees to arrive at better security policies to help avoid such horrific events in the future.
But what I personally think is irrelevant if he were to start endorsing candidates who are heavily supported by certain gaming factions who were heavily supportive of the Sheriff in his election.
It would all potentially look quite bad. So, I am offering a hypothetical based on the sheriff to suggest to the DA that there are a myriad of ways these types of endorsements can come back to haunt one.
I was looking for cases involving bar fights and found this gem. I'm not trying to run the guy down, I think it's interesting:
Petitioner Birmingham is a pilot and in 1983 he admittedly was involved in a scheme to smuggle marijuana into this country from South America. He voluntarily withdrew from this illicit activity and entered law school. While he was in law school, his past caught up with him, and he was arrested by federal officials. He pleaded guilty to a federal charge of conspiracy to distribute marijuana and was sent to prison. Because of his cooperation with law enforcement, he was placed on early parole in February of 1989. While on parole, Birmingham returned to law school and was able to graduate in May of 1990, whereupon he took the Nevada Bar Examination and passed it.
Interesting. I had to look the guy up. He lives in Kansas City, Kansas. Searching by NV Bar # in LV justice court, CC District, USDC and USBK there weren't any cases so it doesn't look like he ever had a court case here with his name directly associated with it after he was licensed. A Pacer search shows about 80-90 bankruptcy cases in Kansas, Illinois, and Missouri since then with the latest being in 2013, and a few civil cases in the same federal districts.
Guest
Anonymous
November 10, 2017 12:28 am
Since a ton of you are taking tomorrow off let me be the first to say Happy Veterans Day to those who served in combat. I have huge issues with this country, the damage that inflicts on good people, the problems which are leveled on too many by too few. However those who have put themselves in harms' way deserve to be saluted.
With that said, our firm is open. I expect to see those of you employed here tomorrow right on time.
Guest
Anonymous
November 10, 2017 1:06 am
Nevada's first execution in a decade is on hold because the cocktail may not pass muster.
Poo
Wolfson needed to endorse Ford if he wanted Eglet's pocketbook…
Fred Steese was pardoned yesterday. Newspapers didn't pick it up.
That is really interesting. Perhaps Vanity Fair will pick it up before the RJ or Sun.
Laxalt was the only no vote. Jerk.
Jerk is too nice of a word for someone who has no heart and no soul.
I guess Laxalt tried to abstain and when the Governor wouldn't let him, he voted no, with no reason.
https://www.propublica.org/article/fred-steese-nevada-pardons-wrongfully-convicted-man-featured-in-our-story
Wow. Just wow. How do people like the Clark County DA and Laxalt look at themselves in the mirror? Not to mention our fine judges, Kephart and Herndon?!
Herndon has defended his work but has been earnest enough to state that if he put an innocent man in prison it would be the worst thing in his life. Kephart remains an unrepentant idiot who has no place on the bench.
But this story is another reminder why "law and order" candidacies are often code words for win-at-all cost and care nothing about the destruction you are causing, whether you are s District Attorney or Bar Counsel.
Eglet has a pocketbook? Absurd. Eglet has a vault.
I don't believe the heads of law enforcement agencies(like the Sherriff or the D.A.) should be endorsing anyone in a political race. I understand that it may not be strictly prohibited in the same sense that sitting judges cannot endorse political candidates, but it is still rife with problems.
I understand, as a poster suggested, that he may have felt it was in his best interests to issue the endorsement, but the only races a sitting DA or a sitting Sherriff should endorse for, if even that, is for their preferred successor if they are retiiring.
But a sitting DA, and a sitting sheriff, should not endorse for a D or an R in a partisan legislative race. It is frought with many potential problems.
I am too lazy to list them,(and no one would have the patience and time to read them if I listed the problems) but that does not mean the problems don't exist. Or, perhaps I honestly can't think of any specific problems, but it just sounds like a bad idea.
Or it might just be that the other candidate worked for Wolfson albeit for a heartbeat, who presumably then knows his experience, and yet has endorsed someone else. Speaks volumes to me.
Wolfson sucks.
12:45 you're an idiot.
Wolfson does stink.
I agree with 12:23 that heads of law enforcement agencies(like Sheriff or D.A.)should avoid supporting candidates in partisan legislative races.
I realize it's not as perilous as situations where judges endorse candidates(which is directly prohibited). But just like people should have confidence in a (theoretically) neutral judiciary removed from becoming involved directly in political matters, they need to have that same confidence, and perhaps even more, in law enforcement.
For example, our Sheriff should avoid endorsing legislators(and I bet he will). If he were to start endorsing legislatures, it encourages the media to start digging. Let's say they determine that endorsed candidate is favored by gaming conglomerates, and this then invites the inquiry concerning the extent the Sheriff received funding from certain gaming groups in his 2014 election. And it was no secret that the Sheriff was heavily supported by gaming interests, while his general election opponent was not. If we then see the matter unfolding(which we did) where the gaming group , more than once, revised their time line on the shooting, and then we see the Sherriff abandoning Metro's earlier announced timelines, and adopting the gaming group's time lines, it could raise questions. And this happened more than once. Metro would conduct(an apparently exhaustive) investigation as to the time line relative to the shootings, and then felt compelled more than once to readily abandon it and adopt the gaming group's time line.
Personally, I think very highly of the Sheriff, and at no time do I believe that when charged with the monumental task of controlling a multi-faceted investigation, while at the same time needing to comfort and reassure the public and families of the victims, was he ever consciously aware of what casino groups donated what amount in his 2014 election. I really believe he was, at all times, laser focused on serving the community, getting answers, protecting everyone, and helping everyone to heal, as well as perhaps forming committees to arrive at better security policies to help avoid such horrific events in the future.
But what I personally think is irrelevant if he were to start endorsing candidates who are heavily supported by certain gaming factions who were heavily supportive of the Sheriff in his election.
It would all potentially look quite bad. So, I am offering a hypothetical based on the sheriff to suggest to the DA that there are a myriad of ways these types of endorsements can come back to haunt one.
Who is running against Wolfson?
It will be no one, or if there is an opponent, it will be token opposition.
Get me a Lawyer Dog does not halt a police interrogation, but Del Taco might.
http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article183176961.html
I was looking for cases involving bar fights and found this gem. I'm not trying to run the guy down, I think it's interesting:
Petitioner Birmingham is a pilot and in 1983 he admittedly was involved in a scheme to smuggle marijuana into this country from South America. He voluntarily withdrew from this illicit activity and entered law school. While he was in law school, his past caught up with him, and he was arrested by federal officials. He pleaded guilty to a federal charge of conspiracy to distribute marijuana and was sent to prison. Because of his cooperation with law enforcement, he was placed on early parole in February of 1989. While on parole, Birmingham returned to law school and was able to graduate in May of 1990, whereupon he took the Nevada Bar Examination and passed it.
In re Birmingham, 110 Nev. 70
Interesting. I had to look the guy up. He lives in Kansas City, Kansas. Searching by NV Bar # in LV justice court, CC District, USDC and USBK there weren't any cases so it doesn't look like he ever had a court case here with his name directly associated with it after he was licensed. A Pacer search shows about 80-90 bankruptcy cases in Kansas, Illinois, and Missouri since then with the latest being in 2013, and a few civil cases in the same federal districts.
Since a ton of you are taking tomorrow off let me be the first to say Happy Veterans Day to those who served in combat. I have huge issues with this country, the damage that inflicts on good people, the problems which are leveled on too many by too few. However those who have put themselves in harms' way deserve to be saluted.
With that said, our firm is open. I expect to see those of you employed here tomorrow right on time.
Nevada's first execution in a decade is on hold because the cocktail may not pass muster.
https://www.reviewjournal.com/crime/judge-postpones-scheduled-execution-of-nevada-inmate/