Tark turns up heat on Roberson in “Scam PAC” scandal

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(Chuck Muth) – Republican congressional candidate Danny Tarkanian has taken the brewing brouhaha over a set of four political action committees (PAC) created by Nevada Republican State Senate Minority Leader Michael “Tax Hike Mike” Roberson (RINO-Henderson) to Defcon 4.

An investigation into the PACs by the Nevada Secretary of State’s office is focused on whether or not Roberson used the entities, all conveniently registered at his personal home address, to funnel contributions to favored legislative candidates above and beyond contribution limits.

In an email I obtained yesterday, Tarkanian has invoked Nevada’s public records law in requesting various emails from Sen. Roberson; a request Roberson will surely reject.  However, the request will keep the issue alive and continue to promote the notion that the senator plays fast and loose with the rules when it comes to advancing his political ambitions.

Here’s the text of Tark’s email to Tax Hike Mike…

Senator Roberson:

When you ran for office, you made campaign promises to voters to earn their trust, and then like a typical establishment politician, you abandoned those promises once in office.

Now you are telling Nevada voters that you weren’t trying to skirt Nevada finance laws when you registered four PACs to your Henderson address, and used them to steer over $200,000 in special interest money to specific candidates.

You turned your back on voters and rolled out the red carpet for special interests.

The voters of Nevada deserve the truth about what you were telling private sector lobbyists on both the tax hikes and fundraising issues. With this letter, I am submitting a request to your office under the Nevada Public Records Act for copies of your email correspondence with those special interests and lobbyists. Your emails about legislation and fundraising with lobbyists are the people’s records and they should be released.

I am formally requesting copies of the following records:

1) Copies of all emails from 2011 to present sent from Senator Roberson’s (or his office’s) official state email address(es) or from mrobersonlaw@gmail.com or other emails denominated Mike or Michael Roberson or Senator Michael Roberson (via state email servers):
     • to any email recipient outside the legislative domain, thereby waiving legislative privilege; and
          o containing the words “sands,” “subcontractors” “tax,” “taxes,” “donation,” “donations,” “contribution,” “contributions,” “PAC” or “PACs.”

2) Copies of all emails from 2011 to present sent from Senator Roberson’s (or his office’s) official state email address(es) or from mrobersonlaw@gmail.com or other emails denominated Mike or Michael Roberson or Senator Michael Roberson (via state email servers):
     • to any recipient outside the legislative domain, thereby waiving legislative privilege.

3) Copies of all emails from 2011 to present sent from Senator Roberson’s (or his office’s) official state email address(es) or from mrobersonlaw@gmail.com or other emails denominated Mike or Michael Roberson or Senator Michael Roberson (via state email servers):
     • to any email recipient outside the legislative domain, thereby waiving legislative privilege; and
     • referencing any of these terms in any email field: “Advantage Capital Partners,” “Advantage Capital,” “New Markets Tax Credit,” “SB 357,” SB357 or “Senate Bill 357”

This is an attempt to obtain public records relating to lobbyist and PAC activity related either to donations or legislation. Emails from Senator Roberson or his office in response to non-lobbyists in the context of everyday constituent concerns/correspondence are not the subject of this request.

Each of these three requests should be considered and fulfilled as separate requests and the fulfillment of any of these requests should not delay the release of responsive documents for the other requests.

Given that I am requesting only emails that were sent to recipients and lobbyists outside the legislature, any legislative privilege claim must be deemed waived as a matter of law.

The people of Nevada have a right to know what you were telling private sector lobbyists about your legislative agenda and your home-brewed PACs. I trust that you will be both cooperative and transparent with voters, and produce these emails immediately.

Danny Tarkanian

Tarkanian and Roberson are competing in a crowded primary to replace incumbent Republican Rep. Joe Heck in Nevada’s 3^rd Congressional District.  Heck is running for Harry Reid’s U.S. Senate seat.

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