Lombardo admits ‘nonwillful’ ethics violation, pays $5,000 to close case
The yearslong ethics case over Joe Lombardo’s use of his Clark County sheriff’s badge in campaign materials while running for governor has come to a close.
This week the Nevada Commission on Ethics approved a stipulated agreement in which Lombardo admitted to one non-willful violation of the ethics law and agreed to pay a $5,000 civil penalty, according to the commission.
“We are grateful that a majority of the Ethics Commission members voted to approve the Stipulated Agreement resolving the disciplinary matter instituted against Governor Lombardo when he was Clark County Sheriff,” the governor’s attorneys said in a statement to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “We have maintained from the beginning that this was a case that should never have been brought and certainly never should have advanced.”
Lombardo’s case began back in September 2021 when the commission initiated an ethics complaint, and in October 2021 a second complaint was filed by a member of the public after then-Clark County Sheriff Lombardo published photos and advertisements of himself wearing his sheriff’s uniform and badge while campaigning for governor in 2021.
Nevada law says a “public officer or employee shall not use the public officer’s or employee’s position in government to secure or grant unwarranted privileges, preferences, exemptions or advantages for the public officer.”
$1.67 million penalty initially sought
In 2023, Nevada Commission on Ethics Executive Director Ross Armstrong alleged that Lombardo committed multiple ethics violations by using his sheriff’s badge and uniform during his campaign for governor. Armstrong had asked the commission to order Lombardo to pay a civil penalty of about $1.67 million. Mark Hutchison, the former chair of the commission, had called the amount “unprecedented.” The largest fine the commission previously had issued was $15,000.
Commissioners rejected the proposed $1.67 million fine for the Republican governor in July 2023 but still voted to fine Lombardo for four violations of a statute barring the use of government time, property or equipment for personal use. He was ordered to pay $20,000 after the Nevada Commission on Ethics found he violated state law with “willfulness.”
Lombardo’s attorneys filed a petition for judicial review in 2023, but the commission and executive director moved to dismiss the petition on the basis that Lombardo failed to notify the office of the attorney general, which Lombardo opposed.
Carson City District Court granted the commission’s motion and denied the governor’s countermotion for an extension of time. In February 2024, he filed a notice of appeal, which then went to the Nevada Supreme Court.
In June 2025, the Supreme Court unanimously reversed the District Court’s decision.
The Nevada State Democratic Party accused the governor of attempting to avoid accountability by postponing hearings and stacking the commission with loyalists.
“The bottom line: Nevadans deserve a leader who doesn’t act above the law,” spokesperson Kate Sosland said in a statement on Wednesday.
Police union hails resolution
Las Vegas Police Protective Association President Steve Grammas said in a statement on Tuesday that the union was pleased to see a resolution to what he called a politically motivated case.
“We do, however, remain concerned that the ethics commission and the legislature continue to treat first responders with a different and more punitive set of rules than all other government employees,” Grammas said in a statement. “We look forward to working with the commission in the future to rectify this imbalance so everyone, including first responders, are treated equally.”
Lombardo’s attorneys from Campbell &Williams echoed concerns that the complaints were politically motivated, and the commission’s decision to pursue the complaints prompted one commission member to resign in protest and resulted in lengthy administrative and judicial proceedings.
“While Governor Lombardo was extremely confident in his legal positions moving forward on the merits, an opportunity arose to resolve this matter with no finding of a willful violation, no public censure, and a modest $5,000 payment to Nevada’s general fund,” his attorneys said in a statement. “The Governor believes this resolution is in the best interests of the parties and, most importantly, Nevada taxpayers. He looks forward to putting this matter to rest and continuing his work on more constructive matters for the State of Nevada.”
Contact Jessica Hill at jehill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @jess_hillyeah on X.