Gary Schmidt, who ran a formidable campaign against Ben Kieckhefer four years ago in the Republican Primary for State Senate District 16, has been essentially drafted by fellow Conservative Republicans to run again against Kieckhefer when two other potential Republican challengers to Kieckhefer (who had been campaigning for months) had to drop out at the last minute for personal reasons.
Senator Kieckhefer, who is often referred to by fellow Republicans as Ben "Tax em Again" Kieckhefer, has been a controversial representative of District 16 voting more often with the Democrats than, it is claimed, any other Republican. Kieckhefer in his first four years broke an initial campaign pledge and twice voted to extend the so called temporary business tax after promising not to do so. In addition, Ben supported and voted for the hated Margins Tax while Schmidt, a long-time local property owner and business man, campaigned against the Margins Tax and ultimately worked on the effort to repeal it once it had been passed by the Democrats and a scorned handful of tax supporting Republicans including Kieckhefer. Schmidt also made a substantial monetary contribution to the efforts to repeal said Margins Tax. Schmidt continues to support repeal of this business killing tax and Kieckhefer continuous to support the burdensome tax. This is bound to be a substantial issue in the 2018 campaign. Four years ago, Schmidt repeatedly raised the issue of Kieckhefer failing to disclose his conflicts of interest in many legislative matters due to his employment with McDonald Carano (and Wilson), the most aggressive and infamous Lobbyist Law Firm in the State. McDonald Carano (and Wilson) and its individual members were strong supporters of Harry Reid during his reign. Kieckhefer has been personally represented by legal counsel from McDonald Carano (and Wilson) whose previous employment was as Harry Reid's chief legislative aid in Washington D.C. Kieckhefer has many times failed to disclose his conflicts of interest when his fellow employees appear before him lobbying for legislation for clients of McDonald Carano (and Wilson) his employer. Kieckhefer has even failed to note he even knows the lobbyist he is questioning in committee hearings when they are in essence "desk mates" to him at McDonald Carano (and Wilson). Schmidt has called for legislation to require recusal from voting at the State Legislature on issues under such circumstances or at least mandatory censorship for failing to disclose any "Conflict". Many national news organizations and ethics watchdog groups have noted Kieckhefer's failings. Kieckhefer failed to disclose his conflict when he voted for the 750-million-dollar public money contribution to the football stadium in Las Vegas while the Oakland Raiders were a direct prominent lobby client of Kieckhefer's employer, McDonald Carano (and Wilson). Schmidt vows to continue to raise these conflict issues during the campaign and beyond.
Schmidt, after decades of participation in local and State civic and community issues, remained active after the campaign four years ago including being a co-founder of the Washoe County Republican Assembly, where he served and continues to serve as an Officer, Director, and/or Committee Chairman, as well as having continued to be an active member of the Washoe County Republican Central Committee (WCRCC) where he has served as his Precinct Chairman and Captain. Schmidt is a regular attendee and participant of WCRCC meetings. Kieckhefer is not a regular member and has virtually never attended any WCRCC meetings. In fact, shortly after the hated Margins Tax was passed in 2015, all so called Republicans that voted for the tax including Kieckhefer were Censured and Condemned by a Resolution passed by the WCRCC at an Incline Village Meeting (which falls within Senate District 16) and were in essence told they were no longer welcome at the meetings which Kieckhefer never attended anyway.
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From the 2014 Senate 16 campaign |
FOURS YEARS OF EXEMPLARY SERVICE ON WASHOE COUNTY BOARD OF EQUALIZATION, COMMUNITY ACTIVIST AND PROPONENT OF OPEN MEETING AND PUBLIC RECORDS LAWS, PARTICIPATED OVER THREE DECADES IN HUNDREDS OF PUBLIC MEETINGS & HEARINGS |
I Believe in:
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Pledges
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ELECTED OFFICIALS MUST STRIVE TO WELCOME, ENCOURAGE, AND FACILITATE CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN THE REGULATION AND CONTROL OF THEIR GOVERNMENT!
The process of Government is broken and we are in financial crisis. Most residents have little or no confidence or respect for Officials, whether elected or bureaucrats. Without immediate and corrective measures our quality of life will continue to plummet out of control. At the same time we have the pressures of increased taxes, fees, costs, & deficits. It is not to late to take corrective actions, but it is the eleventh hour, and WE THE PEOPLE must move immediately to begin to resume control of OUR government. |