Rory Reid Paid ‘Independent’ Attack Consultant $700,000

April 12, 2010

PAC Principal Paid $600,000 by Reid’s Clark Co. Campaign, $102K By County –

Coordination Between Reid and PAC Would Be Illegal –

 

“Hart is helping Rory’s campaign for governor by attacking Republicans, and we’re asked to believe that they suddenly don’t talk anymore?” 

 

– Tim Murtaugh, Republican Governors Association 

A Democratic political consultant who created an “independent” political action committee to attack Republican candidates for governor was paid a combined total of about $700,000 between 2001 and 2009 by Rory Reid’s prior campaigns for office and Reid’s Clark County government.  Dan Hart, who registered the “Committee to Protect Nevada Jobs” in February, was a paid consultant on Reid’s two campaigns for County Commission and a contracted lobbyist for Clark County government, where Reid is chairman of the Commission.

“Rory Reid and this PAC are not permitted to coordinate, but given their history and Hart’s long-standing financial dependence on Rory, you’ve got to ask some questions,” said Tim Murtaugh, spokesman for the Republican Governors Association.  “Hart is helping Rory’s campaign for governor by attacking Republicans, and we’re asked to believe that they suddenly don’t talk anymore?  They should fully disclose any communications they’ve had since February.”

Beginning on October 31, 2001 and ending on November 1, 2006, Hart was paid approximately $500,000 for fees related to advertising on Reid’s political campaigns.  He was compensated with an additional $100,000 for general political consulting services.  He also was awarded a $102,000 contract to lobby the legislature on behalf of Clark County in 2009.

The International Association of Firefighters (Local 1908) questioned Hart’s selection as a Clark County lobbyist (Page 10): “…why in the world does the County contract with an outside lobbyist (Dan Hart) for $102,000 per year, with renewable options for additional years, when at the same time the County employs a full-time lobbyist at more than $100,000 plus benefits?”

The answer: Reid preferred using a lobbyist who had worked for him politically in the past.    

“Nevadans are rightly taking note of what the Las Vegas Sun observed,” Murtaugh said.  “Dot-connecting here is not difficult.”