On Thursday, Jon Ralston – Nevada’s #2 liberal blogger with a television show watched by DOZENS – tweeted (because he no longer has a column in a real newspaper):
“Oh, man, this is really dumb.”
Ralston was referring to Republican congressional candidate Assemblyman Cresent Hardy holding a fundraiser for his congressional campaign on September 24, 2014.
What “Jonny Boy” thought was “dumb” was Hardy holding a fundraiser during the 15-day “blackout” period in which state legislative candidates are not allowed to raise money after a special session of the Nevada Legislature.
You see, legislators just wrapped up a special session to approve the Tesla giga-giveaway deal, so the 9/24 date falls within that 15 day “no fundraising” period.
“Gotcha, you dummy!” thought Ralston.
Alas, Mr. Know-It-All was wrong again.
You see, Assemblyman Hardy is running for a federal office – Congress – not a state office. And there’s a 13-year-old official AG opinion, issued by former Democrat Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Pappa’s office, that very clearly states the following…
“Federal election law preempts state election law, therefore certain state officials are not prohibited from soliciting or accepting monetary contributions for a campaign for federal office before, during, or after a regular or special session of the Legislature.”
Who’s the dumb one now, Jon?