Deals, deferrals, and the appearance of justice is what Devon Reese’s ethics files cause us to ponder, after reading the opinion penned in the Reno Gazette Journal by Reese’s attorney and a failed judicial candidate who both used to serve in different capacities with the Nevada Commission on Ethics.

Devon Reese is many things—an attorney, a longtime figure in Reno politics, and a vocal presence on the dais. Lately he’s also been at the center of a swirl of ethics complaints that have ended, repeatedly and awkwardly, with deferrals, dismissals and negotiated agreements instead of firm, public findings. That sequence is not just legal paperwork: it is a story about power, process and perception—and it deserves a hard, clear-eyed look.

I’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again—why does the Nevada Commission on Ethics even exist? Yesterday’s meeting was nothing more than a backroom deal factory, where everything is conveniently confidential. Translation: citizens are kept in the dark while politicians cut themselves sweetheart deals.

Ah, Nevada politics — where grudges age like fine wine and nothing is ever as straightforward as it seems.

Back in the summer of 2024, after a particularly lively commission meeting, a campaign insider decided to aim a shot at Commissioner Mike Clark by filing an Open Meeting Law complaint. But instead of taking it to the Nevada Commission on Ethics — you know, the usual route for such political potshots — our insider went straight to the Attorney General’s Office. Apparently, he’s more “special” (or “in the know”) than us mere mortals.

In a move that’s raising eyebrows and red flags, Washoe County Commission Chair Alexis Hill is now at the center of an amended complaint/lawsuit that suggests a troubling breach of ethics — one that may have compromised the independence of Washoe County’s elections office during a pivotal election cycle.

n a decision raising eyebrows across Nevada’s political landscape, the Nevada Commission on Ethics has cleared City Councilmember Kathleen Taylor of any wrongdoing—despite substantiated concerns over her use of her campaign email address and involving her campaign infrastructure for official city business.

The ethics complaint, notably initiated by the commission’s own Executive Director Ross Armstrong, pointed to instances where Taylor allegedly blurred the lines between her campaign activities and official duties.

Transparency in local government shouldn't be a game of hide and seek, yet Councilmember Kathleen Taylor appears to be testing those boundaries. Despite winning the Ward 1 election by a razor-thin margin of just 287 votes out of 14,463 cast, Taylor initially attempted to direct city business communications to a campaign email—a move that raises serious questions about public records accountability.