Henderson council censures Carrie Cox

The Henderson Council unanimously approved censuring Councilwoman Carrie Cox during a special meeting on Monday, citing allegations from a police report that led to her indictment earlier this month.

During the meeting, filled with impassioned public comment from residents, local business leaders and advocates, councilmembers voted 4-0 in favor of censure. Cox was not in attendance.

A censure, according to Nevada statute, is a formal written condemnation of a public officer or employee and can be considered if the alleged offender “willfully violated” the state’s ethics law or if there is evidence the violation occurred in bad faith, with malicious intent, or reckless disregard for the law.

Despite Cox’s absence, at least four dozen people attended Monday’s meeting. Some attendees said they agreed with censuring Cox, while others, many of whom wore small red stickers that read “I support Carrie Cox,” others argued that censuring Cox before she had her day in court could influence a jury trial against her.

“It’s not your job to censure your fellow council,” resident Eddie Hamilton said. “It’s our job as voters to do that.”

In addition to the formal condemnation of Cox, the resolution restricts her ability to communicate with other councilmembers and removes Cox from the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority, the Clark County School District Oversight Panel for School Facilities and any other regional boards Cox is serving on in her official capacity.

Cox is due to appear for an arraignment Tuesday morning, court records show. Cox or her attorney Josh Tomsheck did not return requests for comment.

‘Innocent until proven guilty’

Tomsheck did, however, submit a letter on behalf of Cox calling Monday’s meeting “unprecedented,” and asserted the proceeding deprived Cox of due process.

“Councilmember Cox is entitled to due process and is innocent until proven guilty,” residents said, taking turns reading Tomsheck’s letter.

Mayor Michelle Romero called Cox’s alleged conduct “diabolical, immoral and unethical,” and both she and Councilwoman Monica Larson said Cox should resign.

“This is a sad day for our city,” Larson said. “The city, the staff, the citizens and our businesses deserve better.”

Lisa Mayo-DeRiso, a campaign consultant for Cox, said the councilwoman did not attend Monday’s meeting at the advice of Tomsheck. Cox is seeking re-election next year.

“Carrie Cox is not stepping down,” Mayo said in a text message. “The voters who elected her will decide.”

Amanda Swartz, a resident who was fired from a volunteer position at the Henderson Police Department earlier this year, told the council that voters will remember the council’s decision to censure Cox when it comes to their re-elections.

“Carrie has been the only approachable and trustworthy councilmember,” said Swartz, who added Cox is not her ward representative. “I know that I can contact her at any time.”

Council spats ‘embarrassing’

Cox was indicted in District Court on Nov. 4 on a felony charge of monitoring or attempting to monitor a private conversation.

The allegation stems from a Jan. 9 exchange between Cox and Larson at City Hall, in which Cox is alleged to have recorded Larson, real estate broker Michael Hiltz and land developer Richard Smith for more than eight minutes from behind a curtain, according to grand jury transcripts.

The grand jury was also shown video surveillance from inside City Hall and a recording of Larson’s conversation that prosecutors said was taken from Cox’s Apple iCloud account.

Larson reported the encounter to police, and Metro investigators ultimately determined that Cox violated the law when she surreptitiously recorded Larson’s conversation. Metro’s report also highlighted other instances in which investigators said Cox likely violated Nevada’s ethic’s laws, allegations that became a focal point on Monday’s meeting.

During their investigation, detectives searched Cox’s iCloud and said they learned Cox profited an estimated $200,000 over a one-year span from an unlicensed childcare operation being run out of her home. Metro’s report said investigators discovered emails showing Cox used city resources to write a character letter for a nurse who was facing discipline from state officials, meddled in Henderson police affairs and other alleged misconduct.

In addition to the sanctions against Cox, the censure resolution also directs the city manager’s office and the city attorney’s office to refer findings from Metro’s report to relevant law enforcement.

Some residents on Monday said they were not for or against censuring Cox, though the city should be more concerned with servicing residents.

“Most of these have been petty grievances and they’ve been very embarrassing for those of us who live here,” resident Denell Hahn said. “I don’t want to recount all the allegations you’ve made against one another, but it’s really foolish when you pick up the paper and instead of talking about good things we do in Henderson, reading about a spat that somebody is having with someone else.”

Contact Casey Harrison at charrison@reviewjournal.com. Follow @casey-harrison.bsky.social on Bluesky.