Assembly GOP caucus members turn on each other

A flare-up between two members of the Assembly Republican Caucus in a private meeting last week has been downplayed by GOP leadership, but one of those involved, Assemblywoman Victoria Seaman of Las Vegas, is not happy with the response.

She has demanded a public apology from Judiciary Committee Chairman Ira Hansen, R-Sparks.

Speaker John Hambrick, R-Las Vegas, said in his statement that the dispute between Seaman and Hansen is being resolved internally.

“While Assembly Republican Leadership normally does not publicly comment on what takes place in caucus meetings, we make the rare exception now,” Hambrick said in a statement. “Neither we nor any members of our caucus condone threatening language — intended or otherwise — at any time or in any place.”

Hambrick blamed the exchange on the workload, stress and time pressures of the session.

But Seaman, in a statement issued Friday, said Hambrick’s comments aren’t enough.

Seaman said Hansen’s decision to kill her Assembly Bill 282 dealing with reforms to the Homeowner’s Bill of Rights was purely personal. The bill did not get out of the Judiciary Committee by an April 10 deadline.

“During the course of a testy exchange, Chairman Hansen remarked that if I was a man he’d punch me in the face,” she said. “Of course, if he was a man, he would have already apologized for the inappropriate use of such threatening language. He hasn’t.

“Blaming Chairman Hansen’s actions on ‘workload, stress and time pressure,’ as well as ‘physical and emotional strain,’ is inaccurate,” Seaman said. “This was the culmination of a pattern of autocratic committee management throughout this session and a demonstration of power to show me ‘who’s the boss.’

“Frankly, nothing short of a public apology from Chairman Hansen for using such threatening and inappropriate language is acceptable,” she said. “And under the circumstances, I ask our caucus leaders to right this wrong by finding a way to bring my bill to the floor of the Assembly for consideration. Then we can put this matter behind us and ‘continue to work together to pass good law.’ ”

Hansen responded Saturday to Seaman’s statement, saying that in private meetings she has spoken out of turn, talked on her cellphone, belittled those with different views and on at least three occasions, “stomped out of meetings when not getting her way.”

Hansen said Seaman opted to have her bill die rather than accept what he called a simple amendment.

“I will as chairman of the Judiciary Committee maintain order and decorum,” he said. “I will protect the rights of others to express divergent opinions using common courtesy and ensure they have an equal opportunity to do so. I will not reward obnoxious behavior, and I will amend into future bills the best ideas of bills that did not clear my committee.”

— Sean Whaley

CHERRY BLOSSOM QUEEN

Springtime in Washington, D.C., means cherry blossoms and the annual Cherry Blossom Festival, which draws visitors from around the world. And for the first time, a Nevadan was named the ceremonial Cherry Blossom Queen.

Noelle Verhelst of Las Vegas was crowned April 10 at a grand ball and sushi reception held at the J.W. Marriott. The dance capped three weeks of festivities tied to the annual blooming of nearly 1,700 cherry blossom trees that were given by Japan in 1912.

Cherry blossom princesses representing home state societies in the capital take part in the festival. In fitting Las Vegas fashion, the Cherry Blossom Queen was determined by a spin of a giant wheel. Japanese Ambassador Kenichiro Sasae declared, “Nevada!” when it came to rest.

Verhelst, 24, graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in political science. She worked in the state Office of Economic Development before moving to Washington, where she is a legislative correspondent for Rep. Joe Heck, R-Nev.

Verhelst was awarded a trip to Japan next month, where she will meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

“I will definitely represent and pitch Nevada well,” Verhelst said.

— Steve Tetreault

SENATE INDUCTS HALL OF FAMERS

The Nevada Senate will take a break this week from processing bills and floor votes to honoring three alumni of the upper chamber.

The grind of the legislative process will be interrupted with tributes, laughs and memories Wednesday when former state Sens. Dean Rhoads, Terry Care and Randolph Townsend are inducted into the Nevada Senate Hall of Fame.

Care, D-Las Vegas, was elected to the Senate in 1998 and served three terms, through 2010, when he was barred by term limits from seeking re-election.

Rhoads, R-Tuscarora, spent 28 years in the Senate, from 1984 to 2012. Before that, he served four years in the Assembly. Throughout his Senate career he served on the Legislative Committee on Public Lands. He also was chairman of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources.

Townsend, R-Reno, was in the Senate from 1982 to 2010 and was chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor for many years. He is currently a member of the Nevada Gaming Commission.

— Sandra Chereb

Contact Review-Journal Washington Bureau Chief Steve Tetreault at stetreault@reviewjournal.com or 202-783-1760. Find him on Twitter: @STetreaultDC. Contact Sean Whaley at swhaley@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3900. Find him on Twitter: @seanw801. Contact Sandra Chereb at schereb@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901. Find her on Twitter: @SandraChereb.