LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A volunteer listening to panel opted to spare Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones’ legislation license, rejecting the state bar counsel’s urge to disbar Jones for deleting textual content messages associated to a controversial actual property growth undertaking close to Purple Rock Canyon. Furthermore, it rejected outright the state bar’s declare that Jones bribed then-county-commissioner and eventual Democratic Governor Steve Sisolak.
Jones, the commissioner for Clark County’s District F, deleted textual content messages with regard to an actual property growth undertaking close to Purple Rock Canyon when he represented Save Purple Rock, a neighborhood group strongly against the undertaking. The county settled an ensuing lawsuit from the developer for $80 million.
In 2022, a federal court docket Justice of the Peace decide decided Jones did so willfully. Jones, and his legal professional, argued on the listening to that he did in order a “political cleansing.”
Jones testified in federal court docket and the Justice of the Peace discovered his testimony “carefully created to dodge the truth.”
“To this day, he has never told the truth,” Dan Hooge, the state bar counsel, mentioned Monday in his closing argument.
“The only thing he forgot is his integrity,” Hooge mentioned later Monday in his rebuttal argument.
Jones’ legal professional, Rob Naked, recommended the listening to panel publicly reprimand Jones, and never disbar or droop him.
“Reprimand is fair in this case,” Naked, a former Clark County District Courtroom Choose, mentioned in his closing argument. “It’s fair. And it’s appropriate.”
In considered one of two formal written complaints towards Jones, the state bar counsel accuses Jones of bribing then-county-commissioner and eventual Democratic Governor Steve Sisolak in 2019 earlier than Jones grew to become commissioner. Jones, the grievance says, provided the political assist of the folks against the Purple Rock Growth on Blue Diamond Hill in change for Sisolak voting towards the event. There was a lawsuit on the time which Jones, the state bar counsel says, provided to drop if Sisolak took his supply.
“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 on Gypsum’s application while Commissioner Sisolak was Chairman of the CCBC,” the October 2024 grievance mentioned.
Hooge mentioned: “There’s nothing that rebuts that presumption.”
“If he committed felony bribery, disbar him,” Naked instructed the listening to panel in his closing argument. “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.”
Two attorneys employed as skilled witnesses gave dueling testimony about whether or not Jones bribed Sisolak. Effectively-known Las Vegas legal protection legal professional Dominic Gentile argued that sure communications between Jones and Sisolak had been “political speech.” Nonetheless, Benjamin Edwards, a UNLV legislation professor and ethics scholar, disagreed.
“When look at the conduct alleged in the complaint, I’m concerned because it is offering a public official a [benefit] in exchange for their official action,” Edwards mentioned.
“On the whole, I find the conduct troubling,” Edwards testified.
Naked instructed the panel Jones was sincere with the panel. “This guy tells the truth,” Naked mentioned, referring to further skilled witness testimony that Jones is a good one that contributes to the neighborhood together with his public service and professional bono authorized work.
Naked additionally addressed the textual content messages Jones appears to confess deleting.
“Justin Jones did not specifically recall the text deletion event,” Naked mentioned. Naked had argued throughout his protection of Jones that deleting the textual content messages associated to the actual property growth was a “political cleansing.” Jones, whereas testifying on his personal behalf, apologized to the listening to panel, saying he made a “stupid mistake,” and requested the panel for mercy.
Naked acknowledged Jones deleting textual content messages was a violation of state bar guidelines.
“That is at least a negligence violation,” Naked mentioned, telling the listening to panel that’s the extent of Jones’ wrongdoing.
However Hooge, the state bar counsel, was incredulous that Jones couldn’t bear in mind deleting the messages, as Jones mentioned a number of instances on the witness stand.
“You don’t just have this empty blackout where you all of sudden forget everything,” Hooge mentioned.
Hooge continued: “That’s not credible. That doesn’t happen in real life.”
Ultimately, Naked made one closing plea to the listening to panel. “He’s not a threat to the public. Justin Jones is an asset to the public. He’s a good man. Flat out he’s a good man. He did something stupid.” Jones, a county commissioner since 2018 and now in his second time period representing Clark County’s District F, resigned his submit as vice-chair of the fee in Might 2023.
The listening to panel consisted of a chair, Las Vegas legal professional Andy Chiu, and one different Nevada legal professional, in addition to a member of the general public. All three members of the panel are volunteers.
