A Pattern You Can Set Your Watch To
Aaron Ford loves two things: suing Trump and getting on a plane.
Nevada's attorney general, who is supposed to be the state's top cop, has a fundraiser lined up in Chicago with Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul. Sitting on the host committee is Ben Crump, the activist attorney who has built a career out of attacking American law enforcement.
If you're keeping score at home, this is not new. Crump also sat on the host committee for one of Ford's fundraisers in Los Angeles last year. So this is not a one-time thing. It is a pattern.
Who Is Ben Crump, And Why It Matters 
Crump is a well-known name if you follow the news.
He is a lawyer who has represented the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other high-profile cases involving police.
He has made millions doing it.
He has also said some pretty extreme things along the way. Crump has called America a “racist nation” and has argued there is an ongoing “legalized genocide” carried out by police against minorities.
Think about that for a second. Ford is Nevada's chief law enforcement officer. His job is to have the backs of the men and women who patrol our streets.
Yet he is flying to Chicago to raise campaign cash with someone who says police are running a genocide.
That is a yuge contradiction.
More Than A Single Trip
If this were a one time slip, maybe you could chalk it up to bad staff work. But it fits neatly into everything else we already know about Ford. He's spent seven years in office pushing soft-on-crime policies and picking fights that put federal police funding at risk.
Now he's flying to Chicago to fundraise with someone whose entire brand is built on painting law enforcement as the enemy.
It also fits Ford's travel habits generally. Records show Ford has spent nearly $270,000 on airfare and hotels since 2019, with another $140,000 in trips covered by outside groups. Add it up, and you get more than $410,000 in travel over seven years, and roughly 420 days spent outside Nevada.
Nevada's own Ethics Commission is already looking into some of that travel, including trips worth over $35,000 from a group funded by corporations with business before Ford's office.
Governor Lombardo, by comparison, spent about 30 days out of state in 2024.
Ford's Chicago trip is just the latest stop for a candidate who seems more comfortable raising money out of state than doing the job Nevadans elected him to do.
Not The Only Out Of Towner In His Corner
Crump isn't the only outside name propping up Ford's campaign, either. California Governor Gavin Newsom just spent three days in Las Vegas fundraising and campaigning for Ford, kicking off his national midterm tour right here in Nevada.
Republican Governors Association spokesman Kollin Crompton didn't hold back:
“Aaron Ford doesn't represent Nevada; he represents what California and Gavin Newsom want Nevada to be. Nevadans know that California is a disaster, yet Aaron Ford wants to bring their chaos and crises to the Silver State.”
Between Newsom and Crump, Ford's biggest boosters keep coming from somewhere other than Nevada.
Why This Matters For Nevada Conservatives
Ford's campaign has not responded to detailed questions about his relationships with activists like Crump, according to reporting from the Washington Examiner.
The Republican Governors Association has already gone after Ford for this exact kind of thing, saying his priorities are more about jetting around the country with “woke, weak on crime friends” than protecting Nevada families.
Nevada voters care about public safety. Las Vegas and Reno depend on a strong relationship between residents and police. When the state's top law enforcement officer keeps close company with people who paint every police officer as part of a genocide, it sends a signal about where his real priorities sit.
It also raises a bigger question about Ford's judgment. If he cannot see the problem with fundraising alongside Crump, voters have to wonder what other alignments he is comfortable with as he runs to lead the entire state.
What Happens Next
Expect more of these out-of-state trips as the campaign heats up toward November.
Ford's campaign has said it wants to build a national fundraising operation, so Chicago will not be the last stop. Watch for whether local Nevada media picks up on the host committee details, and watch for how Governor Lombardo's campaign responds.
Nevada conservatives who care about backing the police should pay attention to who candidates surround themselves with, not just what they say in ads. Sharing stories like this one, showing up to support law enforcement causes, and asking Ford directly where he stands on Crump's comments are all ways to keep the pressure on.
Nevada deserves a governor whose loyalties are clear. Right now, Aaron Ford's frequent flyer miles are telling a different story.
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.
