SILVER STATE CONFIDENTIAL 03/29/2015

SIGN OF THE TIMES Billboard on building near Sahara and Eastern in Las Vegas that immediately made me think of Gov. Brian Sandoval (R&R-Advertising) and Republican legislative “leaders” in Carson City… “Even duct tape can’t fix stupid.” Amen. SPEAKER-OF-THE-WEAK’S WEAK DEFENSE Gov. Brian Sandoval’s political shop has come to the rescue for Speaker-of-the-Weak John Hambrick with a slick, very lame Emensesque 4-page mailer claiming that “special interest groups” are trying to recall Hambrick for “their own selfish agenda.” Um, the “special interest group” is a committee of voters from within Hambrick’s assembly district and their agenda is to keep Hambrick from voting to raise their taxes.  But why let facts get in the way of dishonest political propaganda, right? But the biggest knee-slapping whopper is this tag line about Hambrick… “HONEST LEADERSHIP.  RESULTS WITH INTEGRITY.” Oh, come on.  The guy flat-out lied about the reason he removed conservative, anti-tax Assemblywoman Michele Fiore as Majority Leader and Chair of the Taxation Committee shortly after conservatives elected him Speaker-designate in December. And integrity?  Are you kidding? Hambrick signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge promising his constituents and the people of Nevada that he would “oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes.”  But since becoming Speaker, he has actively supported both SandRINOval’s Billion Dollar Tax Hike, as well as Assemblymen Paul Anderson and Derek Armstrong’s Billion Dollar-PLUS mutated tax hike. If that’s integrity, Hitler was a humanitarian. It’s sad when a conservative is lured over to the Dark Side. But it’s sickening when they still try to pretend they didn’t sell out. John Hambrick is a dishonest, double-dealing, back-stabbing, fork-tongued sell-out whose word is as good as Sen. Tax Hike Mike Roberson’s.  I hope he gets jock itch. P.S.  The mailer, by the way, was a complete, total waste of money, as will become evident in the coming days.  Stay tuned… AX THE TAX NOW! While Gov. Brian Sandoval wants to tax the tar out of Nevada’s business community, among the elected statewide Republicans he’s a man on an island. Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt is opposed.  State Controller Dan Schwartz is opposed.  State Controller Ron Knecht is uber-opposed.  At the GOP’s Central Committee meeting yesterday, Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske voiced her opposition.  And while remaining publicly malleable on the proposal, I’m hearing that Lt. Governor Mark Hutchison is privately telling people he’s opposed, as well. Some people just can’t take a hint.  NEVADA GOP SMACKS GUV RIGHT IN THE PUSS The Nevada Republican Party adopted a resolution at its meeting in Carson City on Saturday that declares that the party “will not accept a state budget that expands government and creates further burden on an already struggling business community.” The resolution further declares that “any Republican Legislator who votes for such a budget” will become a pariah in their own party and the party  “will make this known to its voters through the press.” This is a direct and well-deserved slap across the face to Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, deigned “America’s Worst Governor” by Investor’s Business Daily for his proposed Gross Receipts BLT (Business License Tax), the “me, too” Republicans in the state Senate – misled by GOP Majority Leader Tax Hike Mike Roberson - who have drunk the SandRINOval Kool-Aid, and the Middle-aged Mutant Tax Hikers in the Assembly – misled by Majority Leader Paul Anderson and Higher Taxation Committee Chairman Derek Armstrong – who have seen SandRINOval’s bet and raised it. The resolution also calls on GOP state legislators and the governor “to support the ‘Balanced Plan for Growth’ Budget. Huh?  What is the Balanced Plan for Growth Budget? Glad you asked.  It’s an alternative to SandRINOval’s budget which funds most of the governor’s proposed education initiatives and ends government employee furloughs by cutting spending rather than raising taxes.  Go figure. It was collaboratively crafted by conservative Republican State Controller Ron Knecht, conservative budget experts from the Nevada Policy Research Institute, and conservative Republicans in the state Assembly.  The group plans to officially release the proposal at a press conference tomorrow. Wanna sneak peak?  Good thing you’re a subscriber to Silver State Confidential! Click HERE and HERE – though be warned these are only draft copies someone not part of the core group forwarded to me from the Central Committee meeting yesterday.  The final version to be released tomorrow may still have some changes. DRIVE-BY MUTHINGS Harry Reid’s out.  Catherine Cortez-Masto is all but in.  I’m surprised there isn’t a “Republicans for Masto” group already formed.  What’s the hold-up? *   *   *   *   * If Reid can change his mind and not run for re-election, could Nevada Republican Rep. Joe Heck change his mind now and run for the seat after all?  Inquiring minds wanna know. WIRE-GATE UPDATE Despite a tweet to the contrary by Ralston Flush a couple weeks ago, Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo released a statement concerning the ongoing political corruption scandal involving Assemblyman Chris “Let’s Make a Deal” Edwards on Friday that included the following: “None of the members of the Nevada Legislature are targets of this investigation.” Which sounds like Edwards is going to get away with soliciting donations in return for his leadership vote last December.  NEVADA NEWS & VIEWS Don’t expect Obama’s Justice Department to prosecute either Hillary or Harry - Mitchell Speaker John Boehner’s Big Week - Gingrich Sandoval lashes out at criticism of tax without rebutting a single fact - Mitchell Former Gov. Miller touts his failed education spending to promote Sandoval’s plan - Mitchell The GOP Mutant Tax Hikers - Muth Crowdpac launches Nevada US Senate Race Website – NN&V staff Common Core: The Bad, the Worse, and the Scary - Starrett A better alternative to Gov. Sandoval’s proposal - Matthews Take your rights back - Fiore Advertising NOW AVAILABLE!  Click here for additional information. READERS WRITE “I am a small businessman in Nevada, an engineering consultant.  Due to my reduced client workload, I expect my income to be substantially less in 2015 than in previous years, and barely enough to pay the bills.  If my $200 business license ‘fee’ (tax) goes up to $400  or more next year, I will close up shop and retire early.  End of story.” - David Thomas  FAMOUS LAST WORDS “Raising taxes is a sign of incompetence in a politician. He/she cannot manage. A willingness to raise taxes is telegraphing such failure.” – Grover Norquist, president, Americans for Tax Reform HOW TO SUBSCRIBE Silver State Confidential is an email newsletter on Nevada politics, public policy and current events published (usually) daily by Chuck Muth, Nevada's #1 Renegade Conservative and the man voted "Most Likely to Irritate Liberals!"  Click on the link below for subscription information…