Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones is on his way out. He announced last September he wouldn’t seek re-election.
But Jones isn’t just leaving. He’s using a web of political action committees to handpick his replacement — and doing it in a way that kept voters in the dark until reporters started asking questions.
If you care about transparency, accountability, and government that actually follows its own rules, this story is worth your attention.
The Money Trail
Jones has endorsed Minddie Lloyd in the District F Democratic primary. Lloyd is running against six other Democrats. To boost her chances, Jones has funneled money her way through multiple routes.
At least $30,000 can be traced directly from Jones to Lloyd’s campaign through his PACs. But that’s just the start.
Jones also sent $125,000 from his Renegades PAC to an independent PAC called Citizens for Honorable Government. That PAC, which was quietly formed in January, has been mailing campaign flyers to District F voters in support of Lloyd.
Here’s the kicker: none of that was publicly visible until reporters started digging. Both of Jones’s PACs — Renegades PAC and Southern Nevada Stronger — had failed to file their required quarterly campaign finance reports by the April 15 deadline. Those reports were only filed after journalists inquired about them.
When asked about it, Jones texted back:
“Thanks for bringing to my attention. Q1 PAC reports have been filed.”
That was it. No further explanation.
This Isn’t Jones’s First Rodeo
Here’s the backstory that makes all of this worse.
Jones didn’t exactly arrive in office with clean hands. Back in 2018, while working as an attorney representing an environmental group called Save Red Rock, Jones reached out to then-Commission Chairman Steve Sisolak, asking him to come out against a housing development near Red Rock Canyon in exchange for endorsements from the conservation group for Sisolak’s gubernatorial campaign.
In plain English: Jones traded political endorsements for favorable votes. After he was elected to the commission, Jones deleted all text messages from his phone prior to a key vote in 2019 related to that same development.
A federal judge found he lied about it. A Clark County District Court later found he willfully destroyed evidence. The State Bar of Nevada accused Jones of bribery over the offer he made to Sisolak. The bar panel ultimately issued a public reprimand rather than disbarment — but the damage was already done.
Clark County taxpayers paid the price. The county settled with the developer for $80 million.
The PAC Behind the Curtain
Citizens for Honorable Government — the PAC now flooding District F mailboxes with Lloyd flyers — is headed by Katie Robbins, a partner at Hilltop Public Solutions. Hilltop’s Nevada office is co-led by Megan Jones. That’s Justin Jones’s wife.
So the outgoing commissioner is effectively bankrolling a PAC run out of his own household to elect his chosen successor. And the PAC didn’t bother to file its required financial disclosures on time.
Late fees? Just $225 per PAC. Hardly a deterrent.
What Happens Next
The District F Democratic primary is June 9. Whatever happens on that side, Republicans have their own competitive primary between Assemblywoman Heidi Kasama and businessman Albert Mack — a race NN&V has been tracking closely.
The November general election will pit the Democratic winner against the Republican winner. That means the Jones money machine could end up shaping who sits in that seat for years to come.
What You Can Do
Pay attention to campaign finance filings. The Nevada Secretary of State’s website posts them publicly. When PACs file late — or not at all — that’s a red flag worth noting.
And if you live in District F, remember that the candidate with the most mailers in your mailbox might just be the candidate with the most political baggage behind her.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
