(“Brutal” Brittany Sheehan) – A Republican Senate candidate from Nevada, Ronda Kennedy is publicly calling for the resignation of Clark County GOP Chair Jesse Law, citing a toxic and fear-driven environment within the party that she believes contradicts the GOP’s core values.
On Monday, Kennedy’s campaign issued a press release, stating…
“Kennedy accuses Law of creating a ‘toxic and fear-driven environment’ within the party, a situation she believes is antithetical to the GOP’s values of freedom and respect. According to Kennedy, Law’s leadership style has led to a culture where party members are hesitant to voice their opinions, fearing repercussions.”
When asked what Kennedy is basing the ‘toxic’ and ‘fear-driven’ allegations upon, she says…
“Based on how he reacted to me, how he acted during the convention, and what other members have told me privately. Other party members don’t want to deal with him, they are afraid of him.”
When pressed about members’ concerns, Kennedy mentioned private discussions where party members expressed fear of Law being “vengeful” and saying that he is known to “hold grudges.”
Clark County is the most strategically important county in the state because the majority of the population lives in Las Vegas and the surrounding areas. In the state GOP committee, Clark boasts an outsized influence over the other, mostly rural counties. Law won a hotly contested re-election by 50 votes in July of last year, springboarding off a late and controversial endorsement given by former President Donald Trump on Truth Social.
Law was endorsed by Trump amid his entanglement in legal battles as a member of the board of directors of Vinco Ventures, a company accused in civil suits of defrauding shareholders and prioritizing the interests of its former CEO, Theodore Farnsworth. Farnsworth is currently being held at a Federal Detention Center in Miami, awaiting trial after the Department of Justice indicted him last year on charges related to securities fraud for his role in the parent company of Movie Pass. He faces a maximum sentence of 80 years. Before their common affiliation with the embattled Vinco Ventures, Law was appointed as a manager by then-CEO Farnsworth, at Zash Global Media.
Law is also one of the six people indicted by the Nevada Attorney General on felony charges for his role as an alternate elector in a Republican slate submitted after the 2020 election.
Kennedy’s accusations of Law stem from a series of disputes and a public confrontation on social media, where she alleges that Law’s leadership style stifles dissent and damages the party’s reputation. Kennedy believes that Law “sees [her] as a threat,” indicating that parts of her social media video may have alluded to reforming the party and thus marking her a “threat to his little throne,” in what she refers to as Law’s “fiefdom.”
Kennedy is not the first party member to raise concerns over the county party leadership. After initially challenging Law’s seat as Chairman, John Bruchhagen, better known in local circles as “Johnny Bru” was elected as Clark County Republican Party Vice Chair in July. Only two months into a two-year tenure, Johnny resigned, citing the leadership team’s dismissive attitude towards his contributions.
In September, Johnny posted a video on social media announcing his resignation, the caption read:
“I don’t take decisions lightly but I’m resigning. I welcome being surrounded by supporters again. And I promise, if staying would make a difference, I would’ve stayed, but I’ve worked hard these past 2 months and leadership called my results a “non work product” and “fluff.” If I were the Chairman and that was my opinion of someone’s work, I’d hope for their resignation. I hope Jesse and the Clark County Republican Party succeed and turn Nevada Red. I will still be supporting the Party and fighting for our values, I’m not leaving the Party, I’m leaving this leadership team.”
Kennedy says that she plans to bring a motion to recall Law as Chairman. Law did not respond to a request for comment and has pleaded not guilty in the criminal suit.
Ms. Sheehan is a Las Vegas based mother, policy advocate, and grassroots leader. The author is personally acquainted with multiple individuals named in this article.
