What Happened?
Clark County taxpayers are on the hook for $80 million while an elected official gets just a slap on the wrist.
Commissioner Justin Jones, who has been in office since 2019, deliberately deleted text messages related to a controversial housing project near Red Rock Canyon. Despite this, on Monday a hearing panel decided to let him off with just a simple reprimand, allowing him to keep his law license.
The state bar wanted to take away Jones’ law license completely. They said he deleted those texts on purpose to hide something. A federal judge even said Jones’ testimony was “carefully created to dodge the truth.”
Dan Hooge, the state bar counsel who prosecuted the case, didn’t mince words during his closing argument: “To this day, he has never told the truth,” Hooge told the panel. Later adding, “The only thing he forgot is his integrity.”
Why Should Conservatives Care?
This is a textbook case of government officials thinking the rules don’t apply to them. The kicker? Taxpayers are stuck with an $80 million bill to settle the lawsuit from the developer. That’s your money being used to clean up a politician’s mess.
Rob Bare, Jones’ attorney, claimed Jones is “not a threat to the public” and called him “a good man” who “did something stupid.” But is accidentally deleting important text messages something a responsible elected official does?
Jones himself told a different story while testifying. He claimed he couldn’t remember deleting the messages, calling it a “stupid mistake,” and asked the panel for mercy.
The state bar counsel, Dan Hooge, found this hard to believe, telling the panel:
“You don’t just have this empty blackout where you all of sudden forget everything. That’s not credible. That doesn’t happen in real life.”
In April 2023, U.S. Magistrate Judge Elayna Youchah ruled that Jones had “willfully destroyed evidence” and was untruthful in his deposition about the deletions. The judge determined he deleted the texts to hide unfavorable information, likely related to his dealings with Sisolak.
The Bigger Issue
This case isn’t just about text messages. The state bar accused Jones of offering a bribe to then-commissioner Steve Sisolak (who later became Nevada’s Democratic Governor).
According to the complaint, Jones offered political support from people against the Red Rock Development in exchange for Sisolak voting against the project. He also allegedly offered to drop a lawsuit if Sisolak took the deal.
Expert witnesses couldn’t even agree if this was bribery or just “political speech. But the official bar complaint was direct:
“Respondent engaged in criminal conduct when he directly offered a reward to an executive or administrative officer of Clark County, Commissioner Sisolak with the intent to influence Commissioner Sisolak with respect to his position on the upcoming County Commission vote.”
Jones’ attorney, Rob Bare, pushed back:
“If he committed felony bribery, disbar him. Enter a disbarment. If he committed felony bribery, you should disbar him. Period. Problem is, he didn’t commit felony bribery. He didn’t commit a felony. He didn’t commit bribery.”
What Critics Are Saying
Critics say Jones’ actions show a pattern of putting his interests above the public’s. They point out that the $80 million settlement reportedly came partly from park funds – money that should have gone to services for residents.
Some residents have demanded Jones resign, calling his actions corrupt and a betrayal of public trust. During commission meetings in May 2023, people spoke out against him, but he remained silent and kept his position.
The scandal began when Jones, before becoming commissioner, represented Save Red Rock, an environmental group fighting the development. After taking office, he continued to oppose the project by Gypsum Resources, which sought to build homes near Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.
In April 2019, the Clark County Commission, including newly-elected Jones, unanimously denied Gypsum’s request for a waiver. Gypsum later sued the county, claiming the decision caused financial ruin and pushed them into bankruptcy.
During the litigation, it was discovered that Jones had deleted all text messages from his phone before and immediately after the vote. A forensic audit confirmed the messages were gone forever, with the earliest saved texts dating to six hours after the vote. This deletion of evidence led to the disciplinary hearing.
What Happens Next?
Jones will continue serving as commissioner until his term ends on January 4, 2027. The housing project that started all this trouble is moving forward, but in a smaller form than originally planned.
The lenient decision from the hearing panel raises questions about whether elected officials face the same consequences as regular citizens. Many conservatives believe in equal treatment under the law, regardless of political position.
Jones resigned his post as vice-chair of the commission in May 2023 but remains a commissioner. The developer, Gypsum Resources, had originally sought over $2 billion in damages, claiming Jones’s opposition derailed their 3,000-home project. The project has since been scaled down to 280 homes.
Clark County settled with Gypsum in October 2023 for $80 million, with more than half reportedly coming from park funds. The hearing panel that decided Jones’s fate consisted of a chair, Las Vegas attorney Andy Chiu, another Nevada attorney, and a member of the public – all volunteers.
Despite deleting public records (texts on a private device related to official duties), which violated Nevada transparency laws, Jones faces no criminal charges as of now.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
