According to a complaint filed with the Nevada Secretary of State’s office, Clark County Judges Erika Mendoza and Tina Tarim have decided to limit contributions from individuals or groups in special elections to $5,000 per election. It’s against the law.
Nevada’s campaign finance law states that a candidate can receive up to $5,000 in primary election contributions and $5,000 in general election contributions from the same person or organization. However, it does not mention any special election restrictions, an ambiguity that the Secretary of State’s office acknowledged.
Mendoza and Tarim were appointed judges by Gov. Joe Lombardo earlier this year and are currently running to retain their seats.
Mendoza, a candidate for Clark County District Court District 27, received two $10,000 donations as of Sept. 30.
Asked about donations over $5,000, Mendoza referred Current to the Secretary of State’s campaign guide, which advises candidates without a primary to accept $10,000.
“Q: What happens if there is no primary? Can I receive the maximum amount of $10,000? A: Yes,” both the guide and the Secretary of State’s website say.
Questions from the Guide for Candidates for Secretary or State Offices.
“For special elections without a primary or general election, the cap is $5,000 because there is only one election,” Cecilia Heston, a spokeswoman for Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar, said in a statement to Current.
Asked about the language in the Candidate Guide, Heston said the Candidate Guide’s Q&A was “potentially anticipating a primary and raising money for a primary, only to find out there was no primary.” It is aimed at candidates who have achieved this goal.” They advance in general because they are opponents in the primary. There is never a primary election in a special election. ”
“I am confident that my campaign will be able to accept donations up to $10,000,” Mendoza said in an email.
As of September 30, Mr. Tarim, who was appointed by Mr. Lombardo in late June, had been appointed by Mr. Giuseppe Bravo, owner of Eight Cigar Lounge at Resorts World Las Vegas and a former business partner of attorney David. It reported 10 donations over $5,000, including $10,000. Chesnov.
Mr. Mendoza and Mr. Tarim, both sitting judges, did not respond to requests to cite laws that allow candidates in special elections to receive donations from individuals or organizations above the $5,000 cap.
The Secretary of State’s campaign guide reads in bold: “It is important to note that this guide is for general information purposes only. It does not have the force or effect of any Nevada law, regulation, or rule.”
Paralegal Aida Tajari, who filed the complaint against Tarim and Mendoza, said both candidates should know the law. Tajari was previously married to Tarim’s ex-husband.
“It’s a very simple crackdown answer: introduce candidate guides,” Tajari said in an interview. “Candidates should have no problem reciting the law. Behavior like this actually makes people lose confidence in voting.”
Tarim’s opponent, attorney Alain Lefebvre, pointed out that accepting excessive donations is a Class E felony. He said it violates the law and “breaks the contract between candidates and betrayed early voters” who were unaware of the violation.
Two of the five candidates vying for the Las Vegas Judicial Court Division 4 special election also accepted donations exceeding $5,000. Holly Stoverski received one donation of $10,000 and Susan Bauckum received one donation of $7,000. Both claim to have relied on the Secretary of State’s candidate guide.
Stoverski said late Wednesday that his campaign was waiting to hear from the secretary of state. “Once we receive formal guidance, we will respond accordingly. Again, we are We want full compliance more than anything.”
“Many violations of the law continue.”
Campaign contribution reports from past special elections are chock-full of notable examples of illegal contributions.
In 2019, when Victoria Seeman, currently running for mayor of Las Vegas, ran in a special election to fill the Las Vegas City Council seat vacated by City Councilman Steve Seroka, she announced her first post-candidacy report. During the period, we received four donations exceeding $10,000. .
Seeman said she thought the special election was the general election because it was listed on the general election ballot. Special elections are usually held in conjunction with general elections.
Tina Tarim’s donations exceed $5,000
Brandon McElroy $10,000
Peter Braglia $10,000
Luke Wagman $10,000
Resort Stay International LLC $10,000
Mayel Gutierrez $7,500
Steve Dimopoulos Law Office $10,000
Martin Carver $10,000
Francine Braglia $10,000
Claggett & Sykes Law Office $7,500
Giuseppe Bravo $10,000
Erika Mendoza’s donations exceed $5,000
Steve Dimopoulos Law Office $10,000
Claggett & Sykes Law Office $10,000
Seeman also said he relied on the guidance and experience of Tom Letizia, a longtime campaign consultant who also worked for Tarim, Mendoza and Stoversky.
Letizia said that when she inquired about special election contribution limits in early July, she was “informed that candidates are allowed to receive up to $10,000 in contributions in special elections.” Ta. They were also directed to the 2024 Campaign Guide for more information. ”
The Secretary of State’s Office declined to comment.
Jim Seebok, winner of the 2023 Henderson City Council special election, received $10,000 from WTD Development LLC. Roberts Investment Company. Romeo Development LLC; and Western Elite. He also received $9,000 from a homebuilding industry PAC.
Seebok’s opponent in that race, Aaron Johnson, received $7,500 from the Henderson Police Supervisors Association.
Because the race was a special election and there was no primary, candidates should not have been allowed to receive more than $5,000 in contributions from a single organization, a secretary of state’s spokesperson said.
Seebock provided Current on Wednesday with a text from Deputy Secretary of State Mark Wasin in 2023 confirming the $10,000 contribution limit in that year’s special election.
The Secretary of State’s Office declined to comment on Wasin’s document.
“I’ve been campaigning for 25 years,” says consultant Lisa Mayo Deriso, who acknowledges that many of the candidates she represents in special elections have made more than $5,000. “When we call our donors, we say, ‘We want you to do the best you can in this race.’ Max out means $10,000 per LLC, corporation, or individual.”
The Secretary of State’s Office plans to submit an omnibus campaign finance bill to Parliament that would overhaul Section 294 of the NRS, the law governing campaign finance, due to its ambiguities.
Tajari said he hopes his accusations will encourage not only compliance, but also enforcement by the Secretary of State and how the Secretary of State is overseen and accountable. There is a shortage of manpower and reforms are needed,” he added.
The current campaign finance system is adversarial and relies on staff to read reports and investigate complaints.
“Many people are breaking the law,” Mayo-DeRiso said, adding that the Secretary of State’s response to complaints filed against judges has “impaired the ability of authorities to bring law against lawbreakers.” You can see his enthusiasm.”
