The position of attorney general in Nevada has long been a stepping stone for higher office.
Prominent Nevada figures such as Alan Bible, Robert List, Dick Bryan, Frankie Sue Del Papa, Brian Sandoval, Catherine Cortez Mastos and Adam Laxalt made— or tried to make— the jump to, say, governor or the U.S. Senate.
So, it comes as no surprise that the current attorney general, Aaron Ford, also jostles for cheap public attention in hopes of making the jump to something else.
That’s how the game is played. Some attempts at this are just a bit more clumsy than others.
Ford’s latest was particularly awkward: After the Texas Legislature made it illegal to perform an abortion when the heartbeat of the fetus can be detected — roughly six weeks into a pregnancy — AG Ford issued this remarkably silly press release:
“Texas has directly attacked the constitutional reproductive rights of its residents, who must be allowed to access safe and legal abortions. Our office will not sit on the sidelines as these shameful and radical attacks on necessary healthcare continue.”
“I want to assure Nevadans that this law will have no effect on their rights. Our state first enacted pro-choice statutes in 1973, and those have been updated and expanded in the decades since. Our office will protect the Constitution, and we will protect the rights and bodily autonomy of our citizens. We are working with several of our colleagues around the country to determine the next best steps.”
Seriously? Last time I checked, nothing done in the Texas Legislature becomes law in Nevada.
Also, does Mr. Ford really mean it when he writes that he’s going to “protect the rights and bodily autonomy” of Nevadans? Wouldn’t that mean that the AG might intervene against sketchy employment rules that force Nevadans to be vaccinated to hold a job? One can only hope. But I wouldn’t hold my breath on that one.
AG Ford, like a long line of AGs before him, is trying to keep his name in the news as well as keep his resume fresh in case a good appointment comes along.
Political betting the “come” line is what Nevada AGs do.
THIS IS ODD
The Biden Administration is refusing to name the two “high level” ISIS-K leaders they say were killed in a drone strike. There’s no reason not to name them at this point, or is there?
CLOUDS ON THE HORIZON
In case you missed it, the August jobs report showed a significant slowdown in the rate of hiring, indicating a tougher job market in September. That’s a bad sign for the economy as we wing toward 2022.
ONE MORE THING
— I apologize in advance for this, but did you know they gave the soft drink Tab to Mormon kids along with an apple as a treat for singing in church? It was called the Mormon Tab and Apple Choir.
— I just got a job at a bicycle assembly plant. I am their new spokesperson.
— Be careful following the masses. Sometimes the “m” is silent.
Thanks for reading this week. Adopt the pioneer credo: Be kind, laugh a little and always question authority.
(Sherman Frederick is a Nevada Hall of Fame journalist and co-founder of Battle Born Newspapers. You can reach him by email at [email protected], or by phone at 415-408-1073.)