The Circus Caucus: It’s Not Just About the Clowns

Here’s my biggest problem with the non-stop comedy act, a.k.a., the Republican Assembly Caucus (RAC)…

It’s not just about them.

Indeed, it’s not so much that the old-bull moderates in the caucus – led by Assemblyman Paul Anderson – refuse to step aside and allow the conservative majority to assume the leadership role it won in November fair and square.

And yes, when you look at the caucus membership – even though it has generally divided itself 12-12, with Speaker-of-the-Weak John Hambrick playing both sides against the middle – there are no moderates on the conservative team.

But there are maybe as many as a half-dozen conservative-leaning members on Team Anderson.

Plus Assemblyman Chris Edwards (R-Chris Edwards), a political schizo whose governing philosophy pretty much depends on which direction the Santa Ana winds are blowing at any given moment.

The wayward conservative-leaning Team Anderson members were either bought off with political favors and promises, or were browbeat into joining the team backed by Gov. Brian Sandoval (R&R-Advertising), or have a petty personality conflict with one or more of the members of the conservative team, led by Assembly Majority Leader Michele Fiore

Overall this is, without a doubt, a conservative-leaning caucus deserving of conservative leadership.

Yet Anderson refuses to let go of the reins, and Hambrick insists on remaining in the driver’s seat; intoxicated with power and blinded by personal ambition.

This internal kids-in-a-sandbox spat and sparring would almost be funny if these shenanigans were only about them.  But what these people are doing affects ALL of us.

Conservatives

Republicans

Taxpayers

Citizens

And, of course, “The Children”

In his embarrassing, stammering, hem-hawing interview with Alan Stock on KDWN 720 AM yesterday, Speaker-of-the-Weak Hambrick refused to be forthcoming and explain what the heck was going on behind closed doors within the RAC.

He said it was “caucus business.”

No, it’s not.

It’s the people’s business.

And it’s high time for these people to stop doing the people’s business in secret and behind closed doors.

Especially considering how badly they’ve fouled everything up since the election.

And there are a lot of serious questions that the people deserve answers to.

Starting with the revelation yesterday that Hambrick was blackmailed by one of two political consultants into removing Fiore from her leadership posts.

The public deserves to know which consultant Hambrick said was blackmailing him: Nathan Emens or Cory Christensen?

And since we now know that it was Hambrick alone who unilaterally removed Fiore – who was elected to the position of Majority Leader by the members of the RAC – exactly where did he derive the authority and power to undo that election?

I’m sorry, but these aren’t questions to be answered in yet another secret RAC conclave in Carson City on January 5^th.  These are questions Hambrick – who at least for the time being is representing the entire state as Speaker-designate, not just his individual assembly district – needs to answer in public.

Not in a scripted, sanitized radio or TV studio interrupted by commercials so he has time to gather his thoughts and concoct “spin.”

In a public forum.  A town hall.  Where the people ask the questions.  And the elected servant answers to the people.

Name the date and time, Mr. Hambrick.  Before your January 5 caucus meeting.  And I’ll provide the venue.

So let it be written.  So let it be done.

Oh, and if you’d like to encourage Mr. Hambrick to appear before a people’s town hall, or weigh in on any other matters of public importance, you can reach him here…

EMAIL:  john@hambrick4assembly.com

CELL:   (702) 499-6169

EMENS IS THE ONE

I really don’t like relying on the word of someone else – even someone I trust implicitly – when accusing someone of a dastardly deed.

That includes accusing GOP political consultant Nathan Emens of using his postal permit number on mailers for the Democrat candidate, Meghan Smith, who ran against conservative Assemblywoman Victoria Seaman in the general election.

As you’ll recall from yesterday’s Silver State Confidential, I obtained a copy of a Smith mailer bearing the Postal Permit #2917 – which I was told by two people belongs to Emens.  But I didn’t have any specific documentation linking Emens to the permit number.

Until now…

Emens is Speaker-of-the-Weak Hambrick’s right-hand man-servant and valet.

And it certainly appears he was working against a Republican assembly candidate in the general election.

Regardless of whether or not it was Emens who blackmailed Hambrick, this alone is reason enough for Hambrick to fire Emens.

And for Hambrick to step down as Speaker-designee.  If he knew, it’s despicable.  If he didn’t, he should have.

MARY, MARY, QUITE CONTRARY

Yesterday, the lobbyist for the Retail Association of Nevada (RAN), Mary Lau, did an interview on Nevada Newsmakers in which she “blistered” conservative Republican Majority Leader Michele Fiore for saying in a newspaper interview that she was “diligently combing through the 6,000-page Nevada state budget.”

“Somebody needs to tell Michele Fiore, by the way, what she is reading,” Lau sneered. “She is saying she is busy reading the budget. But the budget ain’t out yet, girlfriend.”

To be fair, Lau has a point.  Well, not really, but almost.

Fact is, Fiore misspoke.  Barely.

What Fiore is combing through is the 6,000-line “wish list” of budget requests totaling some $7.7 BILLION worth of spending that have been submitted by the various state government agencies, not the actual budget that Gov. Brian Sandoval will propose in January.

Oh, and, um, in fact, Fiore did state exactly and accurately what she was “combing through” in a separate TV interview last Tuesday…days before Lau’s broadside.  You can hear/see it for yourself by clicking here and going to the 10:31 mark.

Even though it’s the budget requests and not the budget itself, I, for one, am glad Majority Leader Fiore is combing through it.  That’s EXACTLY what a responsible legislator and champion of the taxpayer SHOULD be doing.

As for Lau’s motivation to bark at Fiore for such a minor slip of the tongue, let’s face it, RAN is no friend of Nevada taxpayers or conservatives.  You’d think a business organization would be, but it’s not.

Indeed, the organization has been enthusiastically supportive of continuing to extend the “temporary” tax hikes of 2009 that were supposed to “sunset” in 2011 and 2013…and has been leading the charge to sock it to you for sales taxes on your online purchases!

As Chair of the Taxation Committee – which in the present environment is still a possibility for the 2015 session – Fiore would be in a position to fight back against RAN’s tax hike proposals.  Thus, the belittling “girlfriend” attack by Lau against Fiore.

As the saying goes, consider the source.

DEAR JOHN LETTERS

“Dear John Hambrick,  I couldn’t possibly add any new comments regarding this circus you have created and continue to orchestrate as ‘ringmaster’, but I do feel the need to personally express my disgust with you. I certainly do not need to repeat all of the incredibly stupid actions you have taken; those are now engraved in stone as well as in our minds and will forever be reported in Nevada’s history as an example of what a little bit of power does to those incapable of handling it.” – Barbara Teixeira

“Assemblyman Hambrick, I realize, for better or worse, you’re beginning your final term in office. Not due to term limits but because those pesky conservatives will work tirelessly to ensure you never serve another term in the state legislature. … In short, thank you for paving the way for bigger government, higher taxes and fewer liberties to come. … You better tax the living hell out of me because any spare change I have left over will go towards recall efforts of all of you who ignore the principles of the Republican Party.” – Bill Carns, Chairman, Nye County REPUBLICAN Central Committee

“John, I like you personally but, as a leader, you are too wishy-washy. You need to step down and allow someone with a backbone take over.  True conservatives were elected because the people of Nevada wanted real conservative change in Nevada. You are obviously not the person to lead the charge.” – Leonard Foster

“Dear John,  How quickly things can change.  Nevada Conservatives rejoiced at the historic results from the last election.  Now our emotions center around betrayal, incompetence and deceit.  You have failed us.  I no longer care about you or your political career.  I just want to see the mess you have created to be cleaned up with the least damage done to the Republican Party.” – Dean Meek

“Mr. Hambrick, I spent 20 years in the Navy, attained the rank of senior chief petty officer before retirement.  In that time I have seen leadership first hand both good and poor. I have had junior enlisted men, petty officer 3rd class, who have show more steadfastness, courage, leadership than what you have demonstrated in the last couple of weeks.  You vacillated under pressure from the governor and probably Pat Hickey and showed that you are no leader and worse yet, you are no Republican.” – Walt Nowosad