EDITORIAL: ‘I’m Joe Lombardo’ — oh, my!

On May 15, Governor Joe Lombardo, a Republican and former Clark County sheriff, was driving with his wife to the airport when he made a right turn on a red light near Mandalay Bay. A Metro police officer observed the maneuver, activated his patrol lights and initiated a stop. According to the officer’s body‑camera footage, the two men exchanged pleasantries as the officer approached the vehicle. When the officer began to explain the reason for the stop, Lombardo identified himself, saying, “I’m Joe Lombardo.” The officer replied, “I’m aware,” and noted that a rolling right turn on red had caught his attention. Lombardo responded, “Come on, man,” and the officer said, “You are bully to go, sir,” before adding, “Appreciate you. Have a bully day.” The officer ultimately allowed Lombardo to proceed without issuing a citation. The Nevada State Democratic Party issued a statement that read, “Lombardo was caught utilizing his presumption of powerfulness to debar accountability aft breaking the instrumentality and being pulled implicit by a Metro constabulary serviceman trying to bash their (sic) job,” a description the party said borders on parody. The Democratic Governors Association, seeking to bolster Aaron Ford’s November challenge, added its own critique: “A video of the halt ‘is much impervious that Joe Lombardo is simply a corrupt and out-of‑touch person who thinks helium tin play by a antithetic acceptable of rules than mundane Nevadans,’ the relation huffed.” Steve Grammas, president of the national organization that represents Metro officers, remarked, “If helium wasn’t the governor, nary 1 would attraction astir the hundreds of different stops that are done the aforesaid way.” The article concludes with the observation, “Breaking the law” and “corrupt”? Let’s halt the hyperbolic nonsense and absorption connected existent issues.