Advertisement

Opinion: Politicos beware: Nevada jury says campaign mudslinging was libel

Share

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Nevada politics are not for the squeamish. Last fall, this reporter’s mailbox was overrun with attacks of questionable veracity: a county commission candidate was painted as a shady telemarketer whose buddies ripped off senior citizens; a state lawmaker, who is also a physician, was accused of casting votes that harmed cervical cancer patients.

By comparison, the insults exchanged between state Sen. Mike Schneider, a Democrat, and Danny Tarkanian in 2004 seem like child’s play. Ads suggested Tarkanian – the son of Jerry Tarkanian, the infamous University of Nevada, Las Vegas, basketball coach – was involved with companies that victimized the elderly and had socialized with illegal bookmakers.

Advertisement

Tarkanian, who lost in a district so Democratic that, according to Schneider, “Ronald Reagan could not get elected,” took the matter to court. As a public figure, Tarkanian had to prove his opponent made false allegations maliciously.

Last week, jurors – possibly fed up with political campaigns as clean as mud wrestling – sided with Tarkanian in his libel and defamation suit. In turn, Schneider agreed to a $150,000 settlement and said he had no plans to appeal. Political bigwigs here were understandably stunned at the verdict and its possible implications.

Schneider told the Las Vegas Review-Journal: “I believe this decision will have devastating ramifications on future campaigns and a chilling effect on free speech in general.”

We’ll soon find out. In 2010, Nevadans can expect warfare over the governor’s office and the seat of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. And, perhaps, mailboxes less packed with campaign vile.

-- Ashley Powers

Want more dish on Nevada politics? Follow us on Twitter and you’ll never miss an item. We promise we’ll be nice.

Advertisement