Here are some opinions on the Michele Fiore pardon. [RJ; TNI]
Nevada Supreme Court: Judge, not jury, decides unambiguous contract. [National Law Review]
Judge Anne Traum pauses Nevada law mandating parental notification for minors’ abortions amid appeal. [TNI]
Attempt to peddle puppies at yoga class lands illegal breeder hefty fine. [Nevada Current]
Esmeralda County Sheriff ordered to vacate office. [Fallon Post]
Ghost guns used “more and more often,” sheriff says. [RJ]
Meanwhile, the Nevada Supreme Court issued an opinion last week on the legality of concealed carry without a permit that involved a concealed gun without a serial number.
I am the person who, long before the election, correctly predicted a Fiore-Trump pardon. I am not certain how things play our for her in the future, but these are the iterations I see as most likely.
First, she will retake the bench as the Justice of the Peace in Nye County. This is happening. As long as her tenure is left entirely to the voters, she will remain JP as long as she wants. She is a folk hero to the people in Nye County. Fiore will likely hang a photo of Trump, and her pardon, next to each other in her courtroom. These are points of pride, not shame.
Second, there are intervening forces that could eventually remove her from the bench, her popularity notwithstanding. First, NRS 4.010(4) allows for non-attorneys to serve as JP in counties with less than 100,000 people. Nye County has a population of approximately 55,000 people. If the Democrats take control of the Assembly, State Senate and Governors Mansion, they could change that threshold to 50,000 people. The new threshold would pull in Lyon, Carson City, Nye, Elko and Douglas counties. Second, Fiore is feeling absolutely invincible right now (and really, who can blame her for feeling this way?). She could make a mistake that leads to further criminal charges or problems with the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline. Believe me, the CJD is going to be thirsty for any opportunity to after Fiore. Any misconduct, in or out of court, would get her into trouble. Couple her feeling of invincibility with the absence of any moral or ethical compass and this is a real threat. Even if Fiore sincerely prays tonight, “Lord, I am born again, free from sin, never gonna commit an ethical or legal lapse again!” she faces an uphill battle as she lacks the kind of inherent sense of right and wrong most people develop over the course of a lifetime. Not even Jesus can fill this void overnight. Even if the Legislature or CJD remove her from the bench, she will be able to continue a full-time, professional political career in Nye County for the rest of her life. The voters in Nye County will continue to look past any of her behavior, no matter how egregious.
Overall, I handicap it this way: 80% chance she retakes the bench and stays on it. 20% chance she is removed by the Legislature or CJD. 100% chance she remains a full-time, professional politician in Nye County. 100% chance she is a folk hero in Nye County the rest of her life.
“the person”? There were at least 10 people who predicted a pardon (unless you repetitively posted under different writing styles). You might have been “a person”; you were not “the person.”
Now with that said I agree with much of what you have written above with one caveat: “100% chance she remains a full-time, professional politician in Nye County.” Fiore will never be satisfied being a JP in Pahrump. She has bigger plans. She went to Nye County to try to build a base of power for statewide or federal office. She has very little desire to remain in Pahrump for the rest of her life when she believes she is destined for greater things.
She may have “bigger plans” but her ambition is now constrained to the rural counties of Nevada. She will never win a race that involves voters from Washoe or Clark counties.
Regardless of what she does, her reputation and standing in this community is absolutely tarnished. I can’t imagine her having a shred of credibility with any ruling she gives, any “board” she sits on, any activities shes apart of. She should consider herself lucky that she can hold on her to salary for as long as she can (until the legislature changes it).
Yes. I have been in Clark County for over 50 years (born and raised) and have spent a great deal of time out there over the years. I have also litigated in Nye County probably a dozen matters or so in the last 25+ years.
I understand the concept that Pahrump will elect the crazies. However, they love their cops too. If she did what was she was convicted of, that is pretty much the death of her political career. Take what you will from that, but I was also fairly convinced (clearly, I was not the only one) that she did not have the juice to pull a pardon.
In a pre-2016 world, you would be absolutely correct that this would be the end of Michele Fiore anywhere, Nye County included. Whatever those people over the hump may say they believe about the sanctity of law enforcement is decisively secondary to their loyalty to one Donald J. Trump, and by extension, Lady Trump. This pardon not only doesn’t hurt Fiore in Nye County, it empowers her. All she has to say is that the prosecution was a political witch hunt and any cognitive dissonance in the mind of the fine citizenry of Pahrump is immediately and instantly resolved.
I know nobody will believe me, but I am not Jon Ralston. Not sure whether to take that as a compliment or insult. On the one hand, Ralston knows far more $20 words than I do, but on the other he has an insufferable ego. He may be a loathsome person, but is a great writer.
I’m just a nobody who has watched from the sidelines long enough to know how things play out here in Ne-vah-da.
“but I was also fairly convinced (clearly, I was not the only one) that she did not have the juice to pull a pardon.” It’s hard to understand how you could have missed this. Michele Fiore is besties with Michael McDonald. Michael McDonald is besties with Trump. It does not take an FBI investigation to figure out how this happened.
If “this community” means Las Vegas, then yes, you are correct. She is done in “this community.” If “this community” means Nye County, then you couldn’t be more wrong. This pardon makes her a demi-god in the Kingdom of Nye.
I doubt it altogether.
Wolfson doesn’t want to mess with that (or so I have heard from a reliable source). Ford cant turn on the lights by himself and even if he gets skippy trying to score political points, Lombardo won’t cross Trump and risk getting primaried.
Lombardo’s fence-riding can only last so much longer… once the governor’s race starts in earnest, he’s going to have to answer some tough questions on whether he supports Trump’s new bullshit. It’s going to be either piss off the majority of voters or piss off Daddy T. That’s what getting in bed with dictators gets you.
Luckily for him, most Nevadans approve of DJT and his “bullshit” and are even energized about it.
You are fkg high if you think that the majority of Nevada voters are anything other than Pro-Trump these days! But, hey keep sipping that Kool Aid, sis.
DJT lost Nevada in 2 of 3 presidential runs. He did win 2024, obviously, but since then his approval rating has been historically low. It’s unlikely that a majority of Nevadans currently approve of Trump.
As someone who has been in a coma since 2015, I could have never seen this pardon coming.
Guest
Anonymous
April 28, 2025 12:49 pm
$15M Judgment awarded against Caesars. Nancy Allf granted summary judgment in favor of Caesars. Reversed and remanded. By the time it came back down Tipping Point had a much more receptive audience in Joe Hardy.
Tipping Point Lawyer: Garman Turner Gordon (with Atlanta co-counsel)
Caesars’s lawyer: Fennemore
Should say entered Rule 50 judgment at the close of evidence before sending some but not all claims to the jury.
Guest
Anonymous
April 28, 2025 1:35 pm
Blog is dead.
Guest
Anonymous
April 28, 2025 2:11 pm
Puppy Mills
We should allow private attorney general actions, far more effective than making it a criminal offense. Government and criminal prosecution of these types of crime are slow, ponderous, and few in number.
Oh boy can’t wait for another boring political thread that devolves into nonsense within 3 comments.
Dear 10:09: Trump rocks!!
10:25 back, why the downvote? I’m obviously giving 10:09 a good-spirited jabbing. Relax my friend!
MAGA Trump 2028
Hahahaha great!!
I am the person who, long before the election, correctly predicted a Fiore-Trump pardon. I am not certain how things play our for her in the future, but these are the iterations I see as most likely.
First, she will retake the bench as the Justice of the Peace in Nye County. This is happening. As long as her tenure is left entirely to the voters, she will remain JP as long as she wants. She is a folk hero to the people in Nye County. Fiore will likely hang a photo of Trump, and her pardon, next to each other in her courtroom. These are points of pride, not shame.
Second, there are intervening forces that could eventually remove her from the bench, her popularity notwithstanding. First, NRS 4.010(4) allows for non-attorneys to serve as JP in counties with less than 100,000 people. Nye County has a population of approximately 55,000 people. If the Democrats take control of the Assembly, State Senate and Governors Mansion, they could change that threshold to 50,000 people. The new threshold would pull in Lyon, Carson City, Nye, Elko and Douglas counties. Second, Fiore is feeling absolutely invincible right now (and really, who can blame her for feeling this way?). She could make a mistake that leads to further criminal charges or problems with the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline. Believe me, the CJD is going to be thirsty for any opportunity to after Fiore. Any misconduct, in or out of court, would get her into trouble. Couple her feeling of invincibility with the absence of any moral or ethical compass and this is a real threat. Even if Fiore sincerely prays tonight, “Lord, I am born again, free from sin, never gonna commit an ethical or legal lapse again!” she faces an uphill battle as she lacks the kind of inherent sense of right and wrong most people develop over the course of a lifetime. Not even Jesus can fill this void overnight. Even if the Legislature or CJD remove her from the bench, she will be able to continue a full-time, professional political career in Nye County for the rest of her life. The voters in Nye County will continue to look past any of her behavior, no matter how egregious.
Overall, I handicap it this way: 80% chance she retakes the bench and stays on it. 20% chance she is removed by the Legislature or CJD. 100% chance she remains a full-time, professional politician in Nye County. 100% chance she is a folk hero in Nye County the rest of her life.
“the person”? There were at least 10 people who predicted a pardon (unless you repetitively posted under different writing styles). You might have been “a person”; you were not “the person.”
Now with that said I agree with much of what you have written above with one caveat: “100% chance she remains a full-time, professional politician in Nye County.” Fiore will never be satisfied being a JP in Pahrump. She has bigger plans. She went to Nye County to try to build a base of power for statewide or federal office. She has very little desire to remain in Pahrump for the rest of her life when she believes she is destined for greater things.
She may have “bigger plans” but her ambition is now constrained to the rural counties of Nevada. She will never win a race that involves voters from Washoe or Clark counties.
Regardless of what she does, her reputation and standing in this community is absolutely tarnished. I can’t imagine her having a shred of credibility with any ruling she gives, any “board” she sits on, any activities shes apart of. She should consider herself lucky that she can hold on her to salary for as long as she can (until the legislature changes it).
She will never win an election in this state.
This is vastly more likely than the repeated opinions that she will hold office in Pahrump perpetually.
Have you been to Pahrump? Had many clients from there?
Yes. I have been in Clark County for over 50 years (born and raised) and have spent a great deal of time out there over the years. I have also litigated in Nye County probably a dozen matters or so in the last 25+ years.
I understand the concept that Pahrump will elect the crazies. However, they love their cops too. If she did what was she was convicted of, that is pretty much the death of her political career. Take what you will from that, but I was also fairly convinced (clearly, I was not the only one) that she did not have the juice to pull a pardon.
In a pre-2016 world, you would be absolutely correct that this would be the end of Michele Fiore anywhere, Nye County included. Whatever those people over the hump may say they believe about the sanctity of law enforcement is decisively secondary to their loyalty to one Donald J. Trump, and by extension, Lady Trump. This pardon not only doesn’t hurt Fiore in Nye County, it empowers her. All she has to say is that the prosecution was a political witch hunt and any cognitive dissonance in the mind of the fine citizenry of Pahrump is immediately and instantly resolved.
Sorry. I disagree.
(Damn though, you sound exactly like John Ralston.)
I know nobody will believe me, but I am not Jon Ralston. Not sure whether to take that as a compliment or insult. On the one hand, Ralston knows far more $20 words than I do, but on the other he has an insufferable ego. He may be a loathsome person, but is a great writer.
I’m just a nobody who has watched from the sidelines long enough to know how things play out here in Ne-vah-da.
Also, please consider donating to the Indy: https://nevadaindependent.fundjournalism.org/donate/
PS- Go Bills!
“but I was also fairly convinced (clearly, I was not the only one) that she did not have the juice to pull a pardon.” It’s hard to understand how you could have missed this. Michele Fiore is besties with Michael McDonald. Michael McDonald is besties with Trump. It does not take an FBI investigation to figure out how this happened.
If “this community” means Las Vegas, then yes, you are correct. She is done in “this community.” If “this community” means Nye County, then you couldn’t be more wrong. This pardon makes her a demi-god in the Kingdom of Nye.
What about state charges leading to conviction and removal? I’d give that a 1/3 or 1/4 chance.
I doubt it altogether.
Wolfson doesn’t want to mess with that (or so I have heard from a reliable source). Ford cant turn on the lights by himself and even if he gets skippy trying to score political points, Lombardo won’t cross Trump and risk getting primaried.
Lombardo’s fence-riding can only last so much longer… once the governor’s race starts in earnest, he’s going to have to answer some tough questions on whether he supports Trump’s new bullshit. It’s going to be either piss off the majority of voters or piss off Daddy T. That’s what getting in bed with dictators gets you.
Stormy said differently.
This joke only slightly makes any sense
Luckily for him, most Nevadans approve of DJT and his “bullshit” and are even energized about it.
You are fkg high if you think that the majority of Nevada voters are anything other than Pro-Trump these days! But, hey keep sipping that Kool Aid, sis.
DJT lost Nevada in 2 of 3 presidential runs. He did win 2024, obviously, but since then his approval rating has been historically low. It’s unlikely that a majority of Nevadans currently approve of Trump.
Good job coping, sis . . . . . 🤣
LMFAO
WOW!!! WELL DONE!!!
As someone who has been in a coma since 2015, I could have never seen this pardon coming.
$15M Judgment awarded against Caesars. Nancy Allf granted summary judgment in favor of Caesars. Reversed and remanded. By the time it came back down Tipping Point had a much more receptive audience in Joe Hardy.
Tipping Point Lawyer: Garman Turner Gordon (with Atlanta co-counsel)
Caesars’s lawyer: Fennemore
https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/casinos-gaming/company-wins-20m-judgment-after-caesars-derailed-slot-side-bets-3364130/?utm_campaign=widget&utm_medium=topnews&utm_source=homepage&utm_term=Company%20wins%20%2420M%20judgment%20after%20Caesars%20derailed%20slot%20side%20bets
Should have said Allf entered Judgment (not summary judgment)
Should say entered Rule 50 judgment at the close of evidence before sending some but not all claims to the jury.
Blog is dead.
Puppy Mills
We should allow private attorney general actions, far more effective than making it a criminal offense. Government and criminal prosecution of these types of crime are slow, ponderous, and few in number.