the judges get state judicial money for CLE so I believe the state pays the travel expenses for these trips. Because they usually participate in a panel on something the CLE fees associated with the trip are waived or comped by the host. Seems like better choice for CLE would be judicial college or something not tied to a group whose members fall on one side of the caption or the other.
It is absolutely incredible that the judges can be in the fundraising stage of their campaigns, attend an all plaintiff event halfway across the country, chop it up with half the Plaintiff’s bar for an entire weekend, and then come back and say they are neutral. No chance.
It was a conference with CLE. Their campaigns pay or they pay individually and can be reimbursed through the state. As they can be with any conference. They’re allowed to have friends and friends can pick up a dinner tab. I know people like to make huge deals of nothing. This is a nothing burger. They also attend defense bar events. And you name it.
“It was a conference with CLE.” Yes, a Plaintiff’s only conference attended by only Plaintiff’s lawyers while actively trying to campaign and fundraise with Plaintiff’s lawyers. It is not a nothing burger. Judges should not be flying across the country to attend Plaintiff only events.
Go ahead and cite to any canon. You can be morally outraged all you want but there is no canon or rule preventing this. If a judge can be flown to Italy on a private jet to officiate the marriage of the daughter of a big PI lawyer and then preside over his cases, then going to a conference organized by the P bar is fine. I realize that sounds crazy but again nothing prohibiting it.
A judge shall not, while attending an out-of-state conference, convention, symposium, judicial retreat, continuing-legal-education program, or substantially similar gathering, knowingly commingle with counsel appearing on behalf of a plaintiff in any matter pending, impending, or reasonably anticipated before the judge, except as necessary to discharge official judicial duties.
Commentary. The physical removal of the judge and counsel from the jurisdiction shall not diminish the appearance of impropriety; indeed, the combination of geographic distance, conference hospitality, and complimentary hors d’oeuvres may heighten it. For purposes of this Canon, “commingle” includes, without limitation, dining, drinking, golfing, attending receptions, sharing transportation, occupying adjacent seats at panels, or engaging in conversation concerning matters unrelated to the pending litigation. See In re Judicial Conference Etiquette, 847 F.3d 114, 119 (Ninth Cir. 2017) (en banc) (“A judge who shares a cabana with counsel cannot reasonably expect the cabana to remain outside the record.”).
Canon 7.4.1 — The Out-of-State Exception.
The fact that the conference occurs outside the judge’s territorial jurisdiction shall not constitute a safe harbor. Id.; see also Matter of McGillicuddy, 112 Nev. Jud. Ethics Rep. 44, 47 (2009) (explaining that “Nevada ends at the state line, but the appearance of impropriety does not).
Wolfson portrays himself as a law and order Democrat who has eyes on higher office. A Ford win does not further Wolfson’s goals. Steve looks out for Steve.
Wolfson’s too old to continue on the political path. It’s time for the Boomers to move on. But I agree – Steve does look out for Steve. I don’t think his endorsement counts for much, especially now when it seems like there is a murder a day under the Lombardo/Wolfson leadership.
The Nevada Department of Public Safety’s 2025 violent crime report has murder and manslaughter down 21.5%. LVMPD reports data showing homicides fell to 90 in 2025, compared with 158 in 2021. I am not saying it is cause and effect related to either Lombardo/Wolfson being in office or getting Rob Telles off of the streets.
I remember when the prosecutor’s conference was cancelled because a bunch of DAs wouldn’t attend based on the agenda that Ford’s team had come up with. The collaboration between the DA and AG offices is not great.
I’m so torn between the two. On one hand you have Lombardo cozying to Trump when he has to, but also on some things he doesn’t have to (trans women in sports, anyone?) and on the other there is Ford who is anti-Trump, but also just not giving me any sense that he is going to be a capable governor.
Lombardo doesn’t actually do much. He relies heavily on his staff and hasn’t shown an ability to turn Nevada’s economy around. Highest gas rates in the country. High unemployment. Tourist numbers continue to sink. It’s hard to imagine Ford, or anyone, doing much worse.
Again, the real reason to vote for Lombardo is that he will veto absurd legislation and find some measure of balance because it will force the governor and the legislature to work together resulting in legislation that is necessary and more suited for the largely centrist citizens of Nevada. Ford will rubber stamp the nonsense his party puts forward and leave our community worse as a result because they are more worried about “being right” and scoring political points than they are about taking real action our community needs. To be certain, neither one is fit for governor. But maybe that will inspire us to pass that ranked choice constitutional amendment so we can finally be done with the poor choices being offered.
unfortunately i am forced to vote so i can keep ford out of office. will probably vote dem or none of the above federal races and straight republican for state races
I think the GAVIN NEWSOM ENDORSES AARON FORD signs all over town are hilarious. I seriously cannot decipher if that is an earnest campaign blunder or a troll job.
And my personal politics are left of AOC. I don’t believe we need a governor with my personal politics–I’d be happy if a voting majority did think that, but I know that isn’t true and I am happy to have a competent local executive who cares about the issues that matter.
Lombardo seems like a pretty ineffective governor. Ford seems like he might be actually bad at the job.
Anyway, Newsom is way too centrist to appeal to me and he’s way too radically D (in rhetoric much more than policy) to sway a not MAGA conservative. Stupid ally.
I don’t know if it’s a surprise to them, but it doesn’t curry favor with leftists either. Sure, few are likely to vote for Lombardo, but it doesn’t build coalition, at all.
Guest
Anonymous
October 6, 2026 12:15 pm
I do not say this to hate on the RJ, I like the paper. But the endorsements from it are increasingly irrelevant. When the Adelsons purchased the RJ approximately a decade ago, the circulation was around 232,000. Today, they are at 27,000 print and 22,000 digital. While the RJ is still certainly Las Vegas’ “paper of record,” it’s reach is feeble. Now, that being said, I assume that an RJ reader is more likely to vote than the general populace. In a judicial race, “cues” are influential to voters who don’t really know much about the candidates, or office, for that matter. That’s why hiring someone like Tom Letizia matters so much, you’re basically purchasing a turn-key set of endorsements from different organizations within TL’s influence. And an RJ endorsement is still more than nothing in terms of a voting cue. But it isn’t much. Letizia’s package probably matters more. A culinary endorsement probably matters more.
Not sure what discussing Tom Letizia’s package has to do with law, but I suppose if that’s really on the forefront of your mind we could take some time and work through it.
Tom Letizia is a campaign manager. He doesn’t sit on the board of any endorsement committee, he’s not part of any union, he has no part in any endorsement process whatseover. Candidate endorsments are based on politics and interviews, if the second even occurs. Many of the political endorsement committees here don’t even bother to meet with the candidates, they just pick one in the hopes that the candidates will remember them when the group asks for a favor later.
All the Judges were in Tennessee last week. Was this a NJA event? Who paid for their travel? Asking for a friend.
And their food, and their accommodation, and their booze….
the judges get state judicial money for CLE so I believe the state pays the travel expenses for these trips. Because they usually participate in a panel on something the CLE fees associated with the trip are waived or comped by the host. Seems like better choice for CLE would be judicial college or something not tied to a group whose members fall on one side of the caption or the other.
It is absolutely incredible that the judges can be in the fundraising stage of their campaigns, attend an all plaintiff event halfway across the country, chop it up with half the Plaintiff’s bar for an entire weekend, and then come back and say they are neutral. No chance.
So what was the event? A CLE? Conference? Did the Courts pay for the Judges?
It was the NJA event.
It was a conference with CLE. Their campaigns pay or they pay individually and can be reimbursed through the state. As they can be with any conference. They’re allowed to have friends and friends can pick up a dinner tab. I know people like to make huge deals of nothing. This is a nothing burger. They also attend defense bar events. And you name it.
Are you sure the NJA does not comp the judges? Doesn’t the bar association comp the judges?
“It was a conference with CLE.” Yes, a Plaintiff’s only conference attended by only Plaintiff’s lawyers while actively trying to campaign and fundraise with Plaintiff’s lawyers. It is not a nothing burger. Judges should not be flying across the country to attend Plaintiff only events.
Go ahead and cite to any canon. You can be morally outraged all you want but there is no canon or rule preventing this. If a judge can be flown to Italy on a private jet to officiate the marriage of the daughter of a big PI lawyer and then preside over his cases, then going to a conference organized by the P bar is fine. I realize that sounds crazy but again nothing prohibiting it.
A judge shall not, while attending an out-of-state conference, convention, symposium, judicial retreat, continuing-legal-education program, or substantially similar gathering, knowingly commingle with counsel appearing on behalf of a plaintiff in any matter pending, impending, or reasonably anticipated before the judge, except as necessary to discharge official judicial duties.
Commentary. The physical removal of the judge and counsel from the jurisdiction shall not diminish the appearance of impropriety; indeed, the combination of geographic distance, conference hospitality, and complimentary hors d’oeuvres may heighten it. For purposes of this Canon, “commingle” includes, without limitation, dining, drinking, golfing, attending receptions, sharing transportation, occupying adjacent seats at panels, or engaging in conversation concerning matters unrelated to the pending litigation. See In re Judicial Conference Etiquette, 847 F.3d 114, 119 (Ninth Cir. 2017) (en banc) (“A judge who shares a cabana with counsel cannot reasonably expect the cabana to remain outside the record.”).
Canon 7.4.1 — The Out-of-State Exception.
The fact that the conference occurs outside the judge’s territorial jurisdiction shall not constitute a safe harbor. Id.; see also Matter of McGillicuddy, 112 Nev. Jud. Ethics Rep. 44, 47 (2009) (explaining that “Nevada ends at the state line, but the appearance of impropriety does not).
You, sir/madam, have won at life. Well done.
Annual convention. about the same time every year. Judges go to defense events as well. This is not news.
how do you define news? maybe you don’t understand the word?
Judges go to defense events? What defense events? That’s the news.
They’re all a little too comfortable with that. “What are you going to do, vote against me?” Yes actually. Yes we are.
I think if you had a CLE conference you could probably get judges to attend too. It’s not a secret cabal.
BUT I also know that a lot of people stay motivated by playing the martyr, and for them I am glad they have this fuel.
Kirstin played the long game, admit to killing someone, then prove “police misconduct” to a bunch of idiots = profit
Eliminate qualified immunity. i don’t care if she cut some degenerate or not; this prosecution was a travesty.
bet you can’t explain why it was a travesty without misrepresenting the facts.
Wolfson endorses Lombardo over Ford. Is Ford cooked chat?
Wolfson portrays himself as a law and order Democrat who has eyes on higher office. A Ford win does not further Wolfson’s goals. Steve looks out for Steve.
Wolfson’s too old to continue on the political path. It’s time for the Boomers to move on. But I agree – Steve does look out for Steve. I don’t think his endorsement counts for much, especially now when it seems like there is a murder a day under the Lombardo/Wolfson leadership.
The Nevada Department of Public Safety’s 2025 violent crime report has murder and manslaughter down 21.5%. LVMPD reports data showing homicides fell to 90 in 2025, compared with 158 in 2021. I am not saying it is cause and effect related to either Lombardo/Wolfson being in office or getting Rob Telles off of the streets.
Misdirection. The DA and governor have no control over who gets mad enough to kill. They do have control ofprosecution.
Or it may be he recognizes Ford is a disaster, a male version of Kamala
I remember when the prosecutor’s conference was cancelled because a bunch of DAs wouldn’t attend based on the agenda that Ford’s team had come up with. The collaboration between the DA and AG offices is not great.
No. This is a blue wave election that will carry a lot of marginal Democrats into offie.
I’m so torn between the two. On one hand you have Lombardo cozying to Trump when he has to, but also on some things he doesn’t have to (trans women in sports, anyone?) and on the other there is Ford who is anti-Trump, but also just not giving me any sense that he is going to be a capable governor.
Lombardo doesn’t actually do much. He relies heavily on his staff and hasn’t shown an ability to turn Nevada’s economy around. Highest gas rates in the country. High unemployment. Tourist numbers continue to sink. It’s hard to imagine Ford, or anyone, doing much worse.
he vetoes the deranged bills that come out of our loony legislature, that’s enough for me!
California has the highest gas prices. They are 90 cents higher than Nevada.
Ford with Democratic controlled Assembly and Senate will be much worse.
California! China! Libtards! Newsome! Muslims! Communists! Protestors are Terrorists! Socialists! The Free Press is The Enemy of the People!
you are obnoxious
Immigrants! Mexicans! Canadians! Europeans! Blacks! Asians! Pregnant Women! Women in general!
Non-Christians! Atheists! The highly educated! Those who dare question The Government!
He is good at pulling rank to avoid a traffic ticket. Everyone is good at something.
C’mon man! I’m Joe Lombardo!
Again, the real reason to vote for Lombardo is that he will veto absurd legislation and find some measure of balance because it will force the governor and the legislature to work together resulting in legislation that is necessary and more suited for the largely centrist citizens of Nevada. Ford will rubber stamp the nonsense his party puts forward and leave our community worse as a result because they are more worried about “being right” and scoring political points than they are about taking real action our community needs. To be certain, neither one is fit for governor. But maybe that will inspire us to pass that ranked choice constitutional amendment so we can finally be done with the poor choices being offered.
Pretty much everyone running on either side is “marginal.” The marginal sweep of the bench a couple cycles back certainly won’t be forgotten though.
unfortunately i am forced to vote so i can keep ford out of office. will probably vote dem or none of the above federal races and straight republican for state races
I think the GAVIN NEWSOM ENDORSES AARON FORD signs all over town are hilarious. I seriously cannot decipher if that is an earnest campaign blunder or a troll job.
And my personal politics are left of AOC. I don’t believe we need a governor with my personal politics–I’d be happy if a voting majority did think that, but I know that isn’t true and I am happy to have a competent local executive who cares about the issues that matter.
Lombardo seems like a pretty ineffective governor. Ford seems like he might be actually bad at the job.
Anyway, Newsom is way too centrist to appeal to me and he’s way too radically D (in rhetoric much more than policy) to sway a not MAGA conservative. Stupid ally.
The signs are from a pro-Lombardo pac. They’re designed to push a “not MAGA conservative” away from Ford for exactly the reasons you state.
That’s good to know. I was 60/40 troll job.
I don’t know if it’s a surprise to them, but it doesn’t curry favor with leftists either. Sure, few are likely to vote for Lombardo, but it doesn’t build coalition, at all.
I do not say this to hate on the RJ, I like the paper. But the endorsements from it are increasingly irrelevant. When the Adelsons purchased the RJ approximately a decade ago, the circulation was around 232,000. Today, they are at 27,000 print and 22,000 digital. While the RJ is still certainly Las Vegas’ “paper of record,” it’s reach is feeble. Now, that being said, I assume that an RJ reader is more likely to vote than the general populace. In a judicial race, “cues” are influential to voters who don’t really know much about the candidates, or office, for that matter. That’s why hiring someone like Tom Letizia matters so much, you’re basically purchasing a turn-key set of endorsements from different organizations within TL’s influence. And an RJ endorsement is still more than nothing in terms of a voting cue. But it isn’t much. Letizia’s package probably matters more. A culinary endorsement probably matters more.
Not sure what discussing Tom Letizia’s package has to do with law, but I suppose if that’s really on the forefront of your mind we could take some time and work through it.
Tom Letizia is a campaign manager. He doesn’t sit on the board of any endorsement committee, he’s not part of any union, he has no part in any endorsement process whatseover. Candidate endorsments are based on politics and interviews, if the second even occurs. Many of the political endorsement committees here don’t even bother to meet with the candidates, they just pick one in the hopes that the candidates will remember them when the group asks for a favor later.
Political favors in Las Vegas politics! No way.
Who is getting the homicide calendar?
Who is giving it up?
Bluth? Jones?
OP’s mom, of course.
Probably Piper
Suddenly Seymour