NEW: Ford to Introduce Legislation to Crack Down on Dark Money in Politics

Today, Attorney General Aaron Ford announced that, as Governor, he will introduce legislation requiring constitutional officers to disclose their inaugural committee donors and banning foreign governments and nationals from contributing to inaugural committees. The announcement comes after Joe Lombardo broke with bipartisan precedent and registered his inaugural committee as a dark money group. He then vetoed two bills, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro, that would have forced him to disclose its donors: SB60 in 2023 and SB414 in 2025. 

Limited tax documents show that of the $5.72 million spent by Service First Fund, formerly Nevada Inaugural Committee, only $1.25 million was actually spent on Lombardo’s inaugural activities, instead spending millions more attacking Lombardo’s political opponents. It is currently unknown if Lombardo’s dark money group takes contributions from foreign entities. 

“Joe Lombardo’s record of protecting his special interest donors, shielding them from disclosure, and then vetoing the very reforms that would have held them accountable is exactly what’s broken about our system — politicians protecting their own interests instead of the people they serve,” said Attorney General Aaron Ford. “At a time when so many Nevadans are struggling just to get by, we can start fixing that imbalance by reforming a system that rewards politicians like Lombardo for putting money ahead of working people. As Attorney General, I’ve fought tirelessly to protect the integrity of our democracy — defending Nevadans’ right to vote, holding bad actors accountable, and taking on powerful interests that try to buy influence. As Governor, I will ban constitutional officers from using dark money slush funds and accepting money from foreign entities.”

In his first State of the State Address, Lombardo claimed that his administration would govern with “transparency, candor, and integrity” — but when asked if he would use dark money, Lombardo replied, “I’m going to use everything available to ensure success.” With zero transparency, his dark money operation has taken to the airwaves, spending nearly $7 million to paint a false picture of his economy while Lombardo cozies up to Donald Trump. In reality, Nevada has some of the highest costs for groceries, gas, health care, and housing in the nation. 

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