A Rat in the Nevada Republican Assembly

Last Sunday, I was invited to give a presentation to the fourteen members of the Republican Assembly Caucus led by Minority Leader PK O’Neill. It was understood that I was one of many presenters that evening, the meeting would be private, and the information shared would be in confidence.

I created a presentation which was then emailed to the members of the caucus. My presentation last approximately 20 minutes. I am unsure how many presenters were invited and what topics were addressed prior to and after my presentation, as I did not take part in those private discussions.

During my presentation, I spoke of bipartisanship legislation and non-governmental organizations and Democratic activists who would likely be engaged in policy and lobbying in the upcoming legislative session. All information shared was obtained through open-source research. A rather benign presentation…or so I thought.

It seems that my presentation was so interesting (or threatening), that one of the fourteen Republican Assembly members thought it was wise to breach the trust, confidence, and relationship with their fellow caucus members by sharing my presentation with Democratic activist Jon Ralston of the Nevada Independent, who then shared it with those who subscribe to his daily emails and rants.

Needless to say, many members of the caucus were upset at this breach. Yet, many Nevada politicians and related organizations donate to his “independent” news website and, in return, receive positive coverage.

As a member of the press, I am not paid by politicians. I have been an investigative reporter for nearly a decade. My work has made national headlines and has resulted in numerous actions that have benefited the public at large. My investigations are not partisan in nature and often uncover political corruption that is endemic to centralized power.

I also never burn a source, as sources can provide valuable information related to public corruption and malfeasance. Developing sources takes time. Trust is not only built over time, it is earned.

In a sense, developing and maintaining sources is similar to developing and maintaining political power. Initially, a candidate must establish trust with their constituents in order to get elected. Their re-election is only possible if that trust has been earned during their tenure.

The Republican Rat in the caucus has not only violated the trust and unity of the caucus, they have violated the trust of their constituents. Therefore, as a member of the press, it is my duty to expose the rat responsible for this breach. With only fourteen members, it is, thankfully, a small task and one that may result in an embarrassing and deserved downfall of an elected official.

Over my career, I have come to appreciate the saying “ignorance is bliss.” But this specific display of ignorance and hubris cannot be overlooked or swept under the proverbial rug. The legislator responsible for this breach is not working to unify the caucus. This legislator is simply working out of spite—a trait of a very toxic individual to not only the legislative body, but the community at large.

I look forward to this developing story and so should their constituents.