Biden rips Giuliani FCC gets tough Trump to meet Chinese for threatening to on China as leader as trade investigate his son trade war escalates tensions escalate PAGE 2 PAGE 3 PAGE 4 Volume 21, Issue 12 May 15-21, 2019 lasvegastribune.com “I may disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it” — Voltaire Not enough money to cover state school spending plans EDITED NOT By Thomas Mitchell child in every classroom in the This is the same governor who Penny wise and pound foolish? state,” Sisolak wrote in a letter to declared in his State of the State Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak the Nevada State Board of Educa- speech that he would increase the announced recently that he is do- tion. “To show my commitment to cost to build new public schools and nating his $163,000-a-year salary this goal, the First Lady and I are playgrounds. to the state’s poorest public schools. donating my net state salary back “This session I will work to “I asked the people of Nevada to public education. It is my sincere return prevailing wage to public for the chance to lead this state for hope that with these donations, I construction projects — as it was many reasons, chief among them can begin to fulfill my promise to before the 2015 session — in- being the opportunity to improve our educators, families, and chil- cluding, and most importantly, for educational outcomes for every dren and make a positive impact our children’s schools,” Sisolak on our public schools.” declared. “Not only do prevailing According to news accounts, the wage laws support highly skilled My Point money would be split among the workers in Nevada, they guar- state’s 416 poorest schools — less antee our children are learning of View than $400 per school. (See School Spending, Page 5) By Rolando Larraz Another medical nightmare and a hospital stay drama, but first I Harry Reid has suddenly want to give thanks to those who took time out of their busy schedule to come over to Valley Hospital to visit me while I was a guest in that discovered federal debt medical institution, but I am not going to hurt their reputation by let- By Thomas Mitchell ment passed today will help prevent equally in both the middle class and ting the world know that they were Harry never did a flip that he a government shutdown and avoid the Pentagon. concerned with my well-being. couldn’t flop. a disastrous default on our nation’s Republican Sen. Dean Heller A four-day stay at Valley Hos- Back in 2015 Nevada Democrat- obligations. It also will prevent offered a different take, “This lat- pital was not too bad if I could ic senior Sen. Harry Reid, having a drastic cut to Social Security est budget agreement is not a long bypass the first night at the emer- already announced his retirement, disability benefits, and a massive term plan or solution the American gency room where the personnel championed and regaled a spending increase in Medicare premiums. people deserve. This plan will force lost track of courtesy, politeness, bill that made no pretense of try- This agreement is not perfect, no Congress to revisit this same exact respect, consideration, and hu- ing to rein in deficit spending that legislation is, but it accomplishes issue in a short amount of time. It’s manity; they most likely learned would soon balloon the federal debt two major priorities that Demo- past time Washington addresses the from the emergency personnel who past $20 trillion — a bill that blew crats have supported from the very needs of the people of this nation drove the ambulance that took me the top off budget caps and gave beginning. The budget agreement instead of continuing to punt to the to Valley Hospital, but finally I am President Obama a blank check. promotes economic growth and job next big deadline.” back home and Tuesday, for the first Reid was effusive in his praise creation over the next two years by Republican Rep. Cresent Hardy, time in eight months, I was able to of the bill: providing relief from the devastat- like Heller, noted that the bill sim- go the office. The bipartisan budget agree- ing sequester cuts. It also invests (See Harry Reid, Page 3) I am surprised that the female police detective who was arrested for shooting and killing her former Olivia Diaz’s “empty” campaign son-in-law while on supervised visitation with his son is still held at the Clark County Detention Center support is really an eye-opener without bail like a regular criminal, By Sunny Day But by today’s standards none of they’re nothing more than a so- ignoring her many years of service Las Vegas Tribune that means a thing; today voters are phisticated or fancy kind of modern and dedication to the department. By the political standards held less naive and more well-informed blackmail to control the office- Every time I hear of cases like back in the “old days,” Olivia Di- and far more aware than they were holder once he/she is officially the this I wonder if the departmental az’s “scrapbook” could be consid- back then; they know that all those winning candidate. behavior is politically motivated or ered impressive — very impressive endorsements come with a big tied “If you don’t vote our way we if it is that the department usually to some. Endorsements from two ribbon, with direct or indirect con- will not support you in the next forgets one of their own when they U.S. Senators, a former city mayor, trol of the candidate and does not election,” or “If you do not speak don’t like or don’t agree with one of a former county commissioner, a mean a thing to the voters or the in favor of [this or that], remember their own who makes a mistake or is useless county commissioner chair, community. there is another election coming caught in some wrongdoing; could a pothead socialist county commis- Today’s voters know that those soon and our group will not endorse it be that it is because the detective sioner, plus a few unions, several “endorsements” are nothing more you” are among possible threats, to is a female? political action committees, and a than a kind of silent control of say nothing of other civic organi- I no longer understand the new solo chamber of commerce. a candidate. In street language, (See Olivia Diaz, Page 3) behavior of those wearing the po- lice uniform; they seem to forget their blue blood, the Brotherhood’s code of silence, and all those other New trial granted for Nevada death row inmate names they use as an excuse to By Perly Viasmensky his 2010 trial. Pursuant to an order knowledge and without his per- cover all their mistakes and wrong- Las Vegas Tribune filed, Judge Leavitt ordered Wat- mission. doings. Last week Clark County Dis- son’s conviction and death sentence This is the second death sen- If it were not for all those rules trict Court Judge Michelle Leavitt overturned and that Watson must tence the law firm of Jamie Resch, of the “brotherhood,” Officer Ron granted a post-conviction relief receive a new trial. dba Conviction Solutions, has Mortensen would not be behind to 79-year-old death row inmate Watson, a longtime California overturned in the last year. Last bars doing time for a killing that he John M. Watson after his Las Vegas resident and school math teacher, June this newspaper reported when did not commit, a killing that was attorney, Jamie Resch, founder of was accused of kidnapping and attorney Jamie Resch helped inmate committed by the son of a police the Las Vegas law firm Conviction murdering his wife who disap- Frederick Mendoza, age 71, reach detective that “knew where all the Solutions, presented paperwork peared in 2006. A Las Vegas jury a deal with prosecutors to reduce bodies were buried and everyone in showing the trial lawyer’s unau- sentenced Watson to death in 2010. his death sentence to life in prison the department was afraid of him. thorized concession of guilt on In the post-conviction filing, without parole. I am glad that judge Douglas Watson’s behalf during closing Watson alleged among other claims Jamie Resch has successfully Smith, AKA Doug Smith, is no arguments, even if Watson main- that his trial lawyer conceded guilt presented criminal post-conviction longer a judge; unfortunately, Smith tained his innocence throughout JOHN M. WATSON to the murder charge without his (See John Watson, Page 4) got to retire from the bench in Clark County District Court after making the life of many Spanish defendants Barr names Connecticut prosecutor miserable for no reason whatsoever. As a District Court Judge Doug- to investigate Russia probe’s origins las Smith revoked the bail of a de- By Justin Wise Barr to look into the probe’s incep- fendant because he did not like how The Hill tion. The newspaper reported the the Hispanic defendant said “thank Attorney General William Barr inquiry is the third publicly known you” to him while leaving the court- has reportedly assigned a federal investigation focused on the FBI’s room where Smith was presiding. prosecutor in Connecticut to exam- counterintelligence probe of the Another case is the one of another ine the origins of the investigation Trump campaign. Hispanic defendant that accepted a into Russia’s election interference Department of Justice (DOJ) guilty plea and the judge doubled and alleged ties between the Trump Inspector General Michael E.