Netflix sponsored his trips, a Netflix board member cut him a check, and now his office is suing Netflix's biggest competitor.
Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford wants a promotion. He wants to be governor.
But this weekend, a new story broke that adds another layer to a record already full of question marks.
What Happened
Earlier this summer, Ford joined a coalition of a dozen state attorneys general suing to block Paramount Skydance's attempted purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery.
Ford said the merger would hurt families.
“This merger threatens to reduce choices, drive up costs and diminish the variety of movies and television programming available to families,” Ford said in a news release announcing the suit.
A federal judge later granted a temporary restraining order pausing the deal.
Here's the twist: Netflix wanted to buy Warner Bros. too.
Paramount and Netflix were both bidding for the company, each offering tens of billions of dollars. When Ford sued to block Paramount's purchase, he knocked out Netflix's main rival for the deal.
That's the same Netflix that sponsored his travel and whose board member donated to his campaign. Blocking Paramount's bid helps Netflix. And it turns out Netflix has some interesting ties to Ford.
Netflix is a lead sponsor of the Attorney General Alliance, a nonprofit that has paid for hundreds of thousands of dollars in travel for Ford and other attorneys general over the years.
Ford chaired that group in 2024.
That same year, the group covered a $2,819 trip to a luxury resort in Mexico and nearly $12,000 for a stay at Martha's Vineyard, among other trips. And this summer, Susan Rice, who sits on Netflix's board of directors, gave Ford's campaign $2,000.
The pattern is hard to ignore.
Why This Matters to Conservatives
Conservatives believe government should referee the marketplace fairly, not pick winners based on who is friendliest with the folks in charge.
When a state's top law enforcement officer sues one company while taking free trips funded by that company's biggest rival, it raises a basic question.
Is this about protecting Nevada families, or protecting a well-connected friend?
This is not Ford's first brush with this kind of question. He is also facing a formal ethics complaint accusing him of accepting improper gifts, using government resources for personal gain, and leaning on his own staff.
A review panel already found enough evidence to send it to the full Nevada Commission on Ethics. That complaint centers partly on more than $35,000 in luxury international trips Ford took courtesy of the same Attorney General Alliance that Netflix helps fund.
Add it up. Ford has spent roughly 420 days out of Nevada during his time in office, including 137 days in 2024 alone, according to a Las Vegas Review-Journal analysis.
His campaign also had to pull a television ad this summer after a police union sent a cease-and-desist letter, saying Ford used old footage to make it look like he had law enforcement's backing today when he does not.
Read our prior coverage:
Aaron Ford's Campaign Forced To Pull False Law Enforcement Ad After Cease-and-Desist
Small government conservatives call this a trust problem, not just a travel problem.
What Critics Are Saying
Ford's office has denied any wrongdoing. Spokesperson Alcinia Whiters said, Ford:
“respects the Ethics Commission and is confident that it will find that he acted in accordance with all ethical rules.”
Supporters of the Attorney General Alliance also defend the group, saying it is bipartisan and simply brings state officials together for legitimate work.
Better Nevada PAC spokesman John Burke sees it differently.
“High-Flying Aaron Ford has treated his position as attorney general like a part-time job, vacationing on the dime of special interests and campaign donors for well over a year of his tenure,” Burke said.
What Happens Next
The Paramount lawsuit will keep moving through federal court.
The ethics case is expected to reach a ruling from the full commission within sixty days of its referral.
Both will land in the middle of a governor's race where Ford faces Governor Joe Lombardo this November. Expect more scrutiny of Ford's travel and donor list as Election Day gets closer.
What You Can Do
Nevadans do not have to wait for a courtroom or an ethics panel to weigh in. Watch the public record. Ford's travel disclosures, campaign finance filings, and the ethics complaint are all public documents.
Ask your own questions when campaign ads and press releases roll out this fall.
And most importantly, show up to vote in November. That is still the most direct way Nevadans get to hold any elected official accountable.
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.
