Drew Hirsty found some of Michele Fiore’s remarks offensive when he listened to her at a Clark County Republican Central Committee meeting on November 15.
He then pulled out his phone and started to record Fiore’s remarks.
Fiore was caught on camera hitting Amy Tarkanian, who was also a Republican but had voted for Fiore’s opponent in the November election for state treasurer and lost. Fiore called Tarkanian “Ms. Alcoholic” and a “panty dropper after two shots.”
He was “appalled, outraged, and shocked” by the comments, according to Hirsty.
A fellow Clark County Republican Party member named Margaret White received the video when he posted it to Google Drive. She forwarded it to as many people as she could think of. After watching the speech Fiore gave after losing the treasurer’s race, media outlets wrote about it.
At a conference in Ely on January 14, two months later, Hirsty, a veteran Republican and recently elected delegate, was kicked out of the state Republican Party Central Committee. He thinks that at the next meeting, a motion to kick him and White out of the Clark County Republican Central Committee will be put to the vote.
Some Republicans in Nevada have said that the leadership of the Nevada Republican Party has a “thug mentality” and hasn’t been able to get more Republicans elected. Hirsty’s expulsion exacerbates this rift.
Former Clark County Republican Party head of staff White declared, “It’s not what I feel Republicans stand for: ethics and class.” They only want a certain group of people they can manage. Everyone who disagrees with them is expelled.
An enormous shame
In addition, Hirsty sent a video of Nevada Republican Party Chairman Michael McDonald speaking at the same meeting in November about “backstabbing” Republicans like Tarkanian, a former state party chairperson who backed Democratic incumbents Aaron Ford and Zach Conine for attorney general and state treasurer, respectively, in the November 2022 election.
Jesse Law, the chairman of the Clark County Republican Party, denies making any threats, but Hirsty claims that after the films were posted, Law called and vowed to “get even” with him.
In 2021, Law beat Republican state senator Carrie Buck of Henderson to become the leader of the county party. Law and Buck led rival groups, and they both held meetings and said they were the rightful group. Two factions were created. Since the disagreement was settled out of court instead of in court, the law has been in charge of the party.
Hirsty claimed that Law moved to dismiss him from the committee at the January 14 meeting after around 40 people who backed him had left the room. According to Hirsty, there was a 55-45 vote in favor of the motion.
In a meeting video that the Review-Journal was able to get, Law told the crowd that when Fiore and McDonald each gave “very passionate and colorful speeches,” a member of the audience filmed them and put them on a Google Drive so that the media could see them. He could tell that Hirst owned the account.
Law was heard on the tape saying, “To me, it’s really damaging to this organization, to the state organization.” That it is such a huge humiliation genuinely bothers me.
“I don’t want any of this, but I also don’t want recordings of us being made fun of,” the speaker said. The video continued with Law. I didn’t think this body would want to be a part of someone attempting to upload films and share them with the media in order to harm and shame us because I want Clark County to succeed.
“No matter what it takes”
According to a statement made by Law in an interview with the Review-Journal, when Law told Hirsty over the phone that his actions appeared to be harming the organization, Hirsty responded, “If that’s what it takes,”
Hirsty, however, asserted that Law distorted the exchange. Hirsty claimed that during the phone call, Law allegedly said that the party was being destroyed since he acknowledged taking the video. Hirsty retorted that Law was the cause of the party’s demise. Law allegedly said, “If you want me to get black, I will get even,” according to Hirsty. When Hirsty finally responded, she said, “Whatever it takes.”
Hirsty admitted, “I was shocked.” I most definitely wouldn’t have traveled five hours to Ely if I were attempting to ruin the party. Transparency and integrity matter most, and we have a problem with that.
Hirsty, according to Law, is “obviously out with some agenda” and is not in the least “remorseful.”
Law remarked, “I don’t like this kind of thing.” Something like this gives me the creeps. I really mean that. It’s embarrassing and nasty. My responsibility is to defend the company, so I was doing that.
Fiore’s action, according to Law, was “terrible,” but it won’t happen again. Fiore moved to Nye County to work as a justice of the peace; hence, she is no longer a member of the Clark County Republican Party.
We completely agree on that, according to Law. But if someone claims that their strategy is to hurt and discredit the organization, this needs to be addressed.
Law said there will be a debate about what transpired with the rest of the body, but he does not anticipate there will be a vote to remove Hirst.
No more recording is permitted.
Last week at Stoney’s Rockin’ Country, Hirsty and White expected a motion to remove them from the Clark County Republican Party Central Committee, but another motion was made to discontinue recording meetings and establish a “code of behavior” for members.
Recording was banned without the property’s agreement at the door and on visible signs. Podcasters were denied entrance and left. The Review-Journal was told the meeting was private and asked to leave.
“What are we hiding?” said Chris Dyer of the right-leaning PAA Podcast about the gathering. What are we trying to hide by becoming like all the other governments that suppress people seeking to convey the good news about the Republican Party? We’re electing Republicans. We’d rather hide at Stoney’s.
When his cameraman was told not to record, Johnny Bru Show presenter John Bruchhagen was disappointed. The Johnny Bru Show has been streaming the meetings for approximately two years.
He said that a party that supports freedom, liberty, and less government control shouldn’t pass rules that make it illegal to record or tell people what to do.
He declared, “I’d rather know that someone wants to swear or say something wild than to silence them and not know it.”
Hirsty says that the measure failed because party members talked about how important it was to be honest. The meeting was then adjourned at the request of someone.
Patrick Casale, Vice Chairman of the Clark County Republican Party, says that Stoney’s has a rule that you can’t record there. (The venue did not return a call by the deadline.) He claimed that those who “want to make a reputation for themselves” by videotaping other attendees at meetings are a problem for the party. He claimed that some people want to “infight” and spread “crap” on social media in order to get points and “tear the party down.”
Casale said, “We respect the right to free expression.” “By making things known, you publicly degraded two of our members, resulting in issues and legal issues for them.”
Many have inquired as to whether the party may switch venues that permit recordings, but Casale remarked, “We don’t want to lose the freedom to have our meetings for free.”
When questioned if the proceedings had at least been documented for the party’s records, Casale responded that they hadn’t been.
Members of the Proud Boys, a far right and neo-fascist group, attempted to eject White from the meeting last week on the grounds that she was trespassing and was not permitted to be there before other party members defended her. She stated that she reported them to the police for assault and intimidation.
Hirsty anticipates that at the following meeting, members will vote on whether or not to expel him and White. But, Casale indicated that, as of Tuesday, he was not aware of any intentions to expel anyone from the Clark County Republican Party Central Committee.
Casale declared, “We are a private organization.” “We’re attempting to go forward and unite. They are attempting to divide and rule. It will not be successful.
Law stated that there will be a conversation about what transpired with the rest of the body but added that he does not anticipate a vote to remove Hirst.
“It’s called smart judgment,” Casale added, referring to all of these folks who want to whine about censorship. “Our goal is to win the election. The party must unite, so we must do that.
