Fiore suspended with pay from judge duties following Trump pardon

Pahrump Justice of the Peace Michele Fiore has been suspended indefinitely with pay until a final ruling can be made in other complaints against her, a state panel ruled Monday. Fiore has vowed to appeal.

Fiore was issued a full and unconditional pardon from President Donald Trump on April 23 after she was found guilty of conspiracy and wire fraud charges by a federal jury in October, and charges were officially vacated ahead of her May 14 sentencing. She was accused of raising tens of thousands of dollars for a statue honoring Metropolitan Police officer Alyn Beck, who was shot and killed, along with his partner, in 2014.

But the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline voted unanimously on Monday in favor to punish Fiore, noting she will remain suspended until other complaints against her are heard. Though a presidential pardon may close a criminal case related to an ethical complaint against a judge, Fiore is still subject to the commission considering ongoing conduct as it may relate to the determination of a potential violation of judicial conduct, the commissioners found.

Fiore’s “continuing deceit of the charitable donors and her unjust enrichment at the expense of the slain police officer statue harms the public’s perception of the judicial system and its confidence in the system’s legitimacy,” the seven-member panel found, adding that Fiore’s pardon “undermines her ability to impose justice and to apply the law fairly.”

In a statement sent to the Las Vegas Review-Journal Tuesday afternoon, Fiore said the commission’s ruling was “flawed in law as it is in logic,” and vowed to appeal the suspension.

“Their decision to continue my suspension is not based on new findings or misconduct in office,” Fiore stated. “It is based on unverified public perception and allegations that predate my time as a judge — alleged conduct that is explicitly beyond their jurisdiction, as they themselves acknowledged in a separate letter issued just last month.”

Fiore in her statement lamented the commission’s decision to suspend her based on complaints that were never subject to the hearing, and the body never gave her a chance to refute those claims or was made aware they would be considered, she said. Fiore also disputed the commission’s argument that conduct before joining the bench should be disqualifying.

Fiore attached what appeared to be a separate April 2 ruling for a complaint filed by Steve Sanson of Veterans in Politics, who had a March 26 complaint about alleged judicial misconduct dismissed. The commission in that decision reportedly told Sanson it “does not have jurisdiction over the conduct of judges licensed to practice law in the state of Nevada before they enter upon duties of judicial office.”

Fiore had argued that her conduct in question occurred before she became a judge and should therefore be disregarded. Still, evidence showed that Fiore had “continued to defraud donors by keeping donations” even after becoming a judicial officer, and that she has provided no evidence to suggest she has paid back defrauded victims or intends to repay them.

“The evidence of Respondent’s dishonesty and retention of funds maintained under false pretenses ‘reveal[s] a current, emergent threat to the judiciary,’ and required the commission to impose interim suspension ‘to protect against anticipated future harm to the public’s perception of the judicial system,’ ” the commission wrote.

Fiore had previously been suspended without pay since being convicted in her criminal trial. But commissioners wrote in Monday’s seven-page decision that the criminal matter against Fiore was closed and that states, generally, cannot punish an offender for a conviction that was pardoned.

Attorney Michael Sanft, who represented Fiore at trial, had argued that Fiore did not intend to benefit herself, but that her actions were part of her work as then-Las Vegas city councilwoman.

The statue was built, but it was paid for by developer Olympia Companies, according to trial testimony. Fiore spent the donations on personal expenses: rent, plastic surgery and her daughter’s wedding, prosecutors said.

Regardless, Fiore told the Review-Journal, the commission erred in its ruling because it failed to consider federal supremacy and “basic due process.” She added that Monday’s order is an attempt to exercise retribution and control.

“I’ve remained compliant, silent and respectful — giving them every opportunity to follow the law,” Fiore stated. “I was elected by the people of Pahrump in Nye County. I will not be silenced, and I will not step aside quietly while an unaccountable body weaponizes its authority in clear violation of the Constitution.”

Contact Casey Harrison at charrison@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Casey_Harrison1 on X. or @casey-harrison.bsky.social on Bluesky. Review-Journal staff writer Noble Brigham contributed to this report.