Clark County GOP complaint targets PAC seeking legislator recalls

The Clark County Republican Party filed a complaint Wednesday with Nevada election officials alleging illegal contributions by a GOP activist for a political action committee seeking to recall fellow Republicans who haven’t taken a firm stance against Gov. Brian Sandoval’s proposed tax package.

The complaint calls for an investigation into whether Tony Dane illegally funneled conduit contributions to the CRC PAC to aid recall efforts against some Republicans who conservative activists believe will raise taxes.

“These legislators were duly elected to serve their constituents … and they need to focus on performing that job and fighting for conservative causes, rather than defending themselves from attacks,” the county GOP said in a statement.

The complaint seeks an investigation by the secretary of state’s office to determine whether “conduit contributions” prohibited under law and without donor disclosure financed a mail campaign launched after Sandoval’s State of the State address Jan 15. Sandoval proposed $1.1 billion in new and extended taxes to help finance his education priorities.

Dane’s political activism has drawn criticism before, including robo-calls in 2010 that his political action committee paid for that attacked Ron Kent, then a candidate for the Nye County district attorney office.

The fliers targeted Assembly Speaker-designate John Hambrick and others who have drawn the ire of party conservatives led by activist Chuck Muth. The conservative GOP wing believes the Republican lawmakers might vote to approve Sandoval’s tax proposal.

A divide between conservatives and moderates in the Assembly will be a key in whether Sandoval can garner the two-thirds vote needed to pass his tax package.

Clark County Republicans said Sandoval’s proposals are a “starting point for important conversations about the future of Nevada.”

“We look forward to seeing the full proposal from the governor, which includes major education, PERS and collective bargaining reform, and what positions legislators will take on those and other issues,” Nick Phillips, political director for the Clark County Republican Party, said in a statement announcing the complaint.

Dane in previous media reports has said he controls CRC PAC and is its sole source of funds. A report filed with the secretary of state’s office shows Dane contributed $5,000, and his businesses, Dane &Associates, contributed $240,000.

“Campaign finance disclosure laws are in place to shed light into the sources of funding of efforts that impact our political process,” the Clark County GOP said. “We look forward to the secretary of state’s office performing an investigation into whether or not any statutes were violated.”

The PAC that has the goal of recalling Hambrick is a different organization called the Recall Hambrick PAC, with involvement from Muth and others.

Review-Journal writer Ben Botkin contributed to this report. Contact Sandra Chereb at schereb@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901. Find her on Twitter: @SandraChereb